The Bluest Wake
by FireStorm1991
Summary: Memories are but a story of the past that can shape a future. Two lovers, separated by time and memories, walk their own tumultuous paths, and finding their way back to one another seems all but impossible. Can they breach the wake that follows?
1. The Secret Prisoner

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Wake: The region of disturbed flow (often turbulent) downstream of a solid body moving through a fluid, caused by the flow of fluid around the body.**

 **~Chapter 1 – The Secret Prisoner~**

* * *

It had been centuries since the war had begun among the fire and water clans, and even their members had no idea what had caused the conflict. One day there had been peace, and the next there was continual bloodshed. The warriors of the water clan had attacked that of the fire one night, destroying homes and attempting to destroy the warriors protecting the innocents in distress. After that day, the leader of the fire clan had ordered his people to escape, to retreat deeper into Demon World. His one time friend had forced his hand, and one day he would pay for destroying their village home.

He just needed to lie in wait.

Finding a new home had taken some time, but fortunately they had found a good spot with a river spring nearby for their drinking. The new village was established in the center of a wood, and the chief took his rightful place at the head. He and his people had built a fortress, a palace almost, so that the soldiers could train daily. They needed to be ready for war at any given time, especially now that the water chief had lost his mind.

Even though it was not their fight, fire warriors had gotten involved when the water tribe attacked an unsuspecting village. It was a horrendous sight, and there was no reason for the attack. The water warriors knew this. It was then the fire chief had stumbled across a young boy, a black dragon gracing his right arm. He knew then that the boy was special, and he was most likely the reason for the destruction. There had been that legend, that technique that many had tried and failed, giving their lives to reach. This young fire demon was the master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. He would be an asset in their cause.

In the months following his clan's adoption of the boy, intense training ensued, and the child was all but ready to fight. He never complained, only learned ways to improve upon his skills. He was a clever child, one who was quiet and reserved. Even the master knew nothing about him. His desire was to earn the fire demon's loyalty. They would need him on their side to attain victory. However, the young demon remained reclusive, only attending training sessions and meals, never speaking or giving his name. He was simply a mystery, his crimson eyes boring into anyone who approached him.

The chief ignored the intensity and approached the boy who was tending to his sword.

"You have much strength, child," he stated, but the fire demon disregarded him, not looking up from his metal blade. "You must have been trained well before now."

The boy finally glanced over to him, his red eyes full of boredom and a hint of distrust. "Not really."

"Oh?" the chief responded in interest. "Yet you have power that even surpasses me. You clearly don't need this training." The boy resumed polishing the blade and answered with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "Why do you stay?"

Crimson met black orbs, the child finally taking note of this clan chief. He was talk, his hair matching his eyes. He didn't look like much, yet the boy could sense a dormant power, a power he respected. It didn't matter if he was stronger. He still had a lot to learn. Plus, the village where he had lived, his second home in life, was no more. "There is nowhere else to go."

The chief's eyes softened, his lips pressed into a firm line. "You lost your family."

The boy released a bitter chuckle, looking away. "Family," he spat sardonically. "To have a family, you have to be wanted. There is no family, never has been. I live on my own and answer to no one. It is no business of yours why I have chosen to stay."

A bitter smile graced the leader's features, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "You are a spitfire. What's your name, boy?"

The fire demon glanced over, suspicion pinning the chief down. "Hiei," he finally stated. There was no harm in letting anyone know his name.

"Ah, flying shadow," the chief replied. "A fitting name from what I've seen. A strong name. In any case, Hiei, you are always welcome here among me and my men, and you can stay for as long as you so choose. This is your home, now, so feel free to explore the area. From this day forth, I claim you as my student, my protégé. I will teach you all I know. As chief of this village, I promise that you will want for nothing."

Cynicism filled the boy's narrowed eyes. He was wary to accept an offer like this. It was too good to be true. Any time he was faced with those notions, the fire demon knew there was a catch. He was tempted to ask, but the chief must have recognized skepticism. "There is no catch, Hiei. It is thanks for joining in our training, for assisting in our cause. I will not let what happened to your village happen to another."

Hiei believed the demon. It was a strange sensation. He never believed anyone, not even the thieves who raised him before shunning him over his murderous habits. That had been his home for the longest time since he had been discarded as a baby, and the village had become his second home where he had blended into the crowd. When those of the water clan attacked, Hiei did not see a future for himself, and now this chief, one who had also lost everything besides his people if the rumors were to be believed, was offering him a better life. Even though he would be a soldier, it was better than being homeless.

"You have my attention…master."

* * *

Many years had passed, and Hiei had become a well-respected individual in the clan. Anyone who saw him bowed respectfully and greeted him without malice as he walked the streets, arms crossed. He had become a confident young man, an esteemed member of the army. His master had taught him well, placing special interest in him and his life. In all honesty, his master was the closest he ever had to a father, beating out that greedy leader of that band of thieves.

He and his master were patrolling the outskirts of the forest. It had been decades since the water clan had destroyed the leader's original habitation, but it was important to make sure their people were safe. Usually, though, they never ventured out this far, and Hiei could not help but question his master. The answer he received was a simple claim that they needed to protect their clan, their family, and the occasional extensive patrol would aid in that endeavor.

Though patrolling the area bored him immensely, Hiei bit his tongue, walking beside his master, arms crossed, without complaint. The man had given him so much, and Hiei was indebted to him. He had nothing to give the chief but his undying loyalty and dedication. His master never asked for anything more than that.

In contrast to their uneventful patrols, something was different, and Hiei's eyes were drawn to a body and a light shade of blue. His eyes widened. It was the body of a young girl looking no older than himself. She was hurt, badly.

"Master, look there," Hiei declared, pointing. "There is a young girl lying on the ground." The chief followed his finger and saw the young woman, his eyes widening in what could only be concern.

"You're right," the chief replied. "And she appears to be unconscious. Let's get her back to the fortress."

Hiei looked horrified by the notion. "We should just leave her at the clinic. This woman is wearing the colors of our enemies."

It was true. The young woman with blue hair was indeed wearing the concealing, conservative robes of the water clan, a deep shade of blue and lavender in contrast to the black and red colors of their own clan. Still, the clinic could not treat her. She was bleeding out from a wound beneath her chest. Clearly, she had been attacked, and her head had been slammed into a rock where she was also bleeding. "She needs better care than that."

"But she-"

"Is a living creature," his master interjected. "Despite what her people have done, if we leave her to die, we are no better than them."

"Hn," Hiei grunted, surrendering to his master's whim. He did not agree, but if his master could show mercy to this girl after what his people suffered, Hiei would have to learn to do the same.

* * *

So, ultimately they brought the woman back with them and had her treated by the medics at the fortress. They were used to treating fatal injuries for training sessions were nothing less than brutal. Even Hiei had found himself in the room more often than not, but his opponents always joined him in worse condition. His master left to tend to some issues surrounding the demon with which they had returned. She looked so innocent, sleeping there, her face slightly contorted in pain as she snored softly. On arm was bend, her hand near her face as the other flirted with the edge of the covers against her chest. If she wasn't the enemy, Hiei would dare call her an attractive specimen, but all he could see was an enemy. He glared at the woman with hatred in his eyes. She was not only of the water clan, but she resembled his enemy of another kind.

Her clan robes had been removed to treat her wounds, so Hiei now had caught a glance of her arm. His master had mentioned it when he was in the room, and now Hiei finally regarded the symbol on her left arm that resembled the mark he wore on his right. He had long ago mastered the Dragon of Darkness Flame, a black dragon twisting up his arm. The living entity was a part of him. This girl, as young as himself, wore the mark of a plum-colored dragon donned her arm, the mark of the water dragon, the Dragon of the Living Water. If she had the strength to master such a beast, then there was no way she wasn't a threat.

Speaking of the young girl, she had woken up days later, finding herself in a luxurious bed inside of what appeared to be a castle. The woman blinked, uncertain as to where she was…uncertain about a great many things. Shocked at the sight of the room and immensely confused, she started to panic. Her breathing became erratic, and her energy fluctuated. Out of nowhere, she heard a knock on the door. Silently, she looked over to the wooden structure. The door opened moments after her silence. She hadn't expected the person to enter. Would the person be friend or foe? And really…where was she?

"W-Who is there?"

A tall man wearing a black, regal robe with red trimming walked into the room with a young boy wearing similar garb at his side. The young girl tensed up and tried to move further away from them by moving back on the bed. The grandiose headboard prevented her escape. Who was this man? She didn't remember seeing him before, nor did she really remembered much about herself to begin with. Still, the man looked frightening to her. She didn't know how to react. "W-W-Who are you two?" she stuttered. "Where am I? Why am I here?"

"We found you unconscious," the boy responded, his voice dark and venomous. The girl had no idea why he seemed so angry. He was hardly looking at her at all. Maybe he was…shy?

"I…I was unconscious?" was the first thing to leave her mouth. "I-I don't understand. What happened?"

Sidestepping the question, the man replied, "We have been waiting for you to wake up for a few days now. We were hoping you could tell us. What is your name?"

"It's Botan…" she blurted out, uncertain as to how she remembered that. "M-My name is Botan."

"Where are you from, Botan?" the man questioned a bit forcefully. Botan became even more fearful. Why did he look so angry?

"I-I'm sorry…but…I…I don't remember," she admitted timidly. "I'm trying to remember, but all I can remember right now is my name."

"You must have been hit on the head quite hard which would explain why we found you unconscious," the youthful demon observed and murmured from his spot. He looked to be contemplating something, his dark, spiky hair fluttering as he shook his head.

"In any case, you have my permission to stay here for the meantime until you can get your memories back," the older demon declared. "Since you have no memory of where you are from, you are welcome to stay here as our guest."

Botan felt like there was a double-meaning with his statement, but she was uncertain as to why she felt that way. "Thank you," she whispered, accepting the hospitality. "But…where is here? And who are you?"

"I am Chief Cameron of the fire clan," he professed proudly, "and you are currently in our village or, to be more exact, our fortress." The chief looked over to the young, irate demon. "And this is Hiei, my protégé."

"Fire…clan?" Botan repeated curiously. Something about that seemed familiar, but she could not place it. After she repeated the words, the demon called Hiei scoffed and left the room. Chief Cameron offered her a knowing smile.

"Do not mind him," he soothed. "Hiei is good with strangers. He will come around. For now, just rest. You've been through a troubling ordeal if your other injuries were a testament. Don't fret, my child. You are safe here." The kind chief then left her to rest and adjust, but Botan's nerves were wound even tighter.

She sat there in the bed trying to figure out what had happened to her and why she had no memory of anything except her name. For a moment, two looming figures appeared in her mind, but no names or faces accompanied them. Her head did hurt badly, so maybe Hiei was right and she had hit her head. That would explain the memory loss, but what else could have happened? What other injuries did she have?

However terrified she was to move, she decided to uncover herself and get a better view of her body. She was in a similar garb to the two men, though it was a scarlet kimono with cerulean trimming. The shade of blue and the soft, silky material was surprisingly comforting to her. However, she still felt very lost.

She had no idea what would become of her.

* * *

"Master, are you sure we can trust her at her word?" Hiei asked. "She bore the colors of our enemy. She could be lying about this 'memory loss.'"

Chief Cameron smiled wryly at his protégé, admiring the irony of the situation. "I'm not entirely sure, but she was clearly injured. Regardless of if she's an enemy or not, we must help all in need. We must hold ourselves to higher standards and not stoop to the level of the water clan."

Hiei still didn't like the idea of trusting the stranger, especially given that she was a viperous female, but his master had made a point. For years, Chief Cameron had taught him everything about his own power, camaraderie, and honor. It was what had caused him to drawn his master's attention to the injured girl despite wanting to abandon her upon seeing her colored robes. He only hoed that Botan's memory loss was not a trap, but legitimate. His trust was hard to earn and easy to break. It had been a miracle that Cameron had managed to win his loyalty.

He thought back to his time being a thief in the demon realm, how shortly after Cameron had reached out to him he tried to rob his current master. Chief Cameron had been empathetic, but Hiei had been ready for a fight. The chief had stated he was free to leave whenever, so Hiei fought for his freedom. He probably could have just left and saved himself the embarrassment of being thrashed by the chief. Despite his weaker energy, his skill was amazing. Hiei had given in and stayed, just as the chief has assured him he could do. There was nothing left for him. After he had been shunned from his thieving band, he had begun thieving on his own to survive in the village, and then Cameron and his men had found him in the attack. Hiei could still remember when his crimson eyes met the coal of his master. Chief Cameron had never given Hiei any reason to distrust him, but Hiei had given the man much reason to cast him away. Yet he was welcomed back into the fortress after his attempted escape and made the leader's most valued talent. It was sobering.

"What should we do with her?"

The chief considered his protégé's question for a moment. For now, they couldn't do anything with Botan. "I am sure by now you noticed she bears the mark of the Living Water." Hiei nodded his understanding. "In truth, mastering that dragon is a bit different than mastering the Dragon of Darkness Flame. Either she had gone to face the dragon on her own or it had been forced upon her by her own clan."

Hiei looked alarmed. Forced? "How is that possible?"

Cameron shook his head. "I do not know the specifics of the Living Water, but I do know that the experience is not for the faint of heart, nor is Darkness Flame. Yet, notice the way she spoke. You are a determined, strong youth. Can you picture that timidity, even feigned, willingly submitting to the ritual?"

"No," Hiei reluctantly admitted, his stomach churning at the thought. Mastering his beast was a painful experience that he had willingly walked into. To hear that those of the water clan may have purposefully used this young girl for their agenda did not sit well. It was as if they gave her no choice in her destiny. His original people were guilty of that sin.

"Exactly," Cameron settled. "And somehow, the water clan has allowed their secret weapon to fall victim to tragedy. Now, she knows nothing of who she was, and we can use that."

Hiei glowered at the chief, not liking the sound of that. Using a person who didn't choose their fate, practically keeping them prisoner. Plus, he was still disgusted by her presence there. "We should kill her, spare her this cruel path."

"That is not how we operate," the chief chided. He observed Hiei and noticed the tightness in his features. He sighed, finally understanding. Cameron was the only one who knew everything about Hiei's past, in great detail. "We can keep her in the village for now." Hiei seemed stun. "Yes, she did come from the enemy, and we can't let her remain here and train with the army if she is faking her condition. We also cannot leave her in the room like a prison. She has done nothing wrong that we know of. If the child is not faking her condition, then considering her to be the enemy would be cruel and confuse her."

"That's not just it, is it?" Hiei speculated. "You have other reasons for keeping the witch around. You want to use her against her clan, don't you?"

"It's poetic justice," Chief Cameron simpered. "As she gets older, her loyalty can be bought. For now, we will leave her. She is a timid, frightened young girl, too young to understand anything that has occurred. She probably has no recollection of the mark or her trial. We will leave her be. When she recovers, I will place her in the care of a family in the village. Everyone will be informed of the situation, and no one will be permitted to tell her what the mark truly is, not until she is old enough and completely on our side."

Hiei was still displeased, but as long as he did not need to interact with the woman, he didn't care. He would continue training to get stronger, to one day be able to take the water clan out on his own with or without the help of water enchantress. He did not need her, did not want her help, but once again Hiei was reminded that he was learning to follow the lead of his master. Sometimes being the chief meant making sacrifices. Hiei could admit he was too young to appreciate it.

"Let us commence with our training for today," the chief suggested. "After, I will bring a meal to the girl and perhaps talk to her. Maybe I can determine if she truly remembers or not."

* * *

Botan saw a smaller room on the inside of her room and was surprised. It looked like a regular washroom, but it was much larger than…what? She couldn't remember. Still, she felt like she had never been in a structure nearly as large as this. There was a mirror inside, and she hesitated. She couldn't even remember what she looked like, and she held animosity towards her unknown reflection. She shook her head. Defiantly, she marched up to the glass, ignoring the pain shooting up through her body, to see what she looked like.

She was amazed. Though she felt like she was looking at herself for the first time, the girl in the mirror seemed familiar from her wavy blue hair to her amethyst eyes. The hair framed her face in wavy wisps. She was very pale and fair in complexion, and the dark colors of the warrior's kimono she was wearing accentuated that fact. She felt a bit awkward in the kimono, the neckline plunging to her chest and the sleeves shortened. Part of her felt like this was the least bit of clothing she had worn in a long time.

Her eyes travelled to her wrist, the purple on her skin catching her eyes. She pulled the sleeve down further to see the mark to its fullest. It looked like a purple dragon was painted on her arm. She tried to wash it off, but the mark did not disappear but instead Botan felt tingly and relaxed. She must really like the water.

Leaving the washroom, Botan looked out the veranda at the changing light. Night was about to fall. For some reason, the girl felt a sense of longing as the warm air became slightly tinged with wind. She weakly moved one hand to rub her upper arm. Things had never seemed so hopeless, she believed, but she couldn't wallow. All she wanted was to be given an answer. She didn't like not knowing who she was.

After the sky grew dark, Botan moved to her bed. The darkness was not something that pleased Botan for reasons she could not remember. That was starting to be a common phrase in her mind. She wished she knew the reason. Unfortunately for her, the room was darkened. She didn't even know how to make a fire or light a torch. Chief Cameron returning with supper was very fortuitous for her. "Good evening, Botan," he greeted.

"Um…good evening, sir," she replied politely yet awkwardly, looking away in the dark.

Chief Cameron chuckled as he set a tray of food down on a small, bedside table. "You do not need to speak so formally when alone in my presence, Botan," he assured her before he lit the lamps in the room with his controlled fire abilities. "Why were you sitting in the dark?"

Botan shrugged. She didn't really want to admit that she had no knowledge or that she was afraid of the dark. She played off her discomfort to save face, but Chief Cameron could see right through her. "I didn't know what to do except think, trying to piece things together. Thank you, though, for bringing in light. I hadn't realized that it had gotten so dark. It was only a bit unsettling since I'm unfamiliar with this room."

"Did you have any luck?" he questioned as he poured the girl a glass of water. "Remembering anything, I mean. Do you remember where you're from? What about your age?"

Botan looked like she was trying really hard to think before tears of frustration began to form. "I don't know," she whined solemnly. "I just don't know."

"You really don't know, do you?" the man stated. The girl flashed him a glare and then buried herself under the blankets of the bed, ignoring the food he was offering. He truly pitied her. She looked very young, maybe in the teenager years, very young for a demon. His expression softened, and his interrogation ended. "Well, Botan, you are welcome here whether you figure it out or not. In fact, you are welcome to stay in my home until you heal, and then after that you are free to live in the village and integrate yourself into our society."

Botan smiled feeling grateful, not knowing the plans this man had for her. Still, a pang in her core hit her, and the reality of her situation completely flooded her. "I just want to go home," she murmured truthfully and sadly. She hugged her knees to her body. "I don't even know where home is."

Chief Cameron stood up, prepared to leave the room. Clearly, Botan needed rest and to accept her current predicament. This lack of memories was horrifying to her. "I will leave this food and water here for you. You may keep the lamps on if you would like."

"With all due respect," the child but out boldly, "I don't need your permission. Please, leave me be."

For a moment, the stranger's attitude reminded him a lot of when he first met Hiei. Many fond memories hit him as well as the desire to make the girl feel at home, hoping his altruism would win her loyalty as well. "Good night, Botan," he said softly, yet he got no response. He could only hope that, like Hiei, she would eventually warm up to him. Even if she was originally the enemy, she could be molded to fit their cause. Only time would tell. If she became their ally, she would be their greatest asset along with Hiei. He had plans for the dragon masters, big plans.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was a doozy of a first chapter :D Hey, everyone, and welcome to my newest project. Strangely enough, this story developed from the need to utilize scenarios from old stories I scrapped or never posted, one a Pokémon story with Sir Aaron and Lucario finding a lost enemy that I could never write past Chapter 1, and a Yu Yu Hakusho OC story that's material will be used later, and then I thought up this whole grand epic in a day and wrote down notes for every chapter in a couple of days. Yup, this what the first story I planned out to entirety (back in June) before writing from chapter titles to detailed chapters. I can already tell you that, unless I break some of these chapters into two depending on length, there will be 43 chapters. How's that for planning ahead? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Hopefully, I'll get to work on the next soon. Please give me any feedback you might have. Thanks a bunch. And it's also my birthday, just so you know (*picturing Tangled*).**


	2. The Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and reviews last chapter. I really appreciated the feedback. I'm really excited about this story, and can't wait to really get into it. A lot of you were as excited as I am. Thank you for joining me in the adventure :D**

 **Now, let's get this started *cracks knuckles***

 **~Chapter 2 – The Beginnings~**

* * *

Only a few years had passed, three to be exact, since the day that the stranger, Botan, had been discovered by the fire chief and his ward. During all that time, the girl, now sixteen, had yet to remember anything about her origins. Even her age was but an estimation. She had surrendered to the idea that she would never learn who she was. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she had much more pressing problems to plague her.

Despite growing into a beautiful, young woman, she was hated and reviled by the other members of the fire clan. She had been an outsider that they had been forced to take in and accommodate as per their chief's orders. Even if others could see her beauty, no one looked at her with anything but disdain and malice. Others her age picked on her, degraded her, but Botan was not one to cower. She simply ignored the contempt. After all, it was no worse than when the family under whose care she was placed threw her into the streets.

Yes, she was practically living on the streets like some kind of beggar. She would have gladly given up her beauty to free herself from living in poverty and to have a family or friend on whom she could depend. There was no one, not anyone who wanted to be around the sinful stranger. No, she had done nothing, and yet she was seen as violent and dangerous. Well, she could be is she had to be, but no one else needed to know that. But she hadn't always lived this way.

True to his word, Chief Cameron had placed Botan with a family after she had healed. The child was about thirteen, roughly, at the time and given to a couple already raising two children. At first, they had graciously accepted her, the couple treating amnesiac as one of their own. Botan had gotten along with their children very well, and felt like she actually, maybe, could belong there with this family. She had been happy. Chief Cameron had come to visit every month, back then, to check on her and see how she was fairing and enjoying her time with her family. After a year, though, his visits stopped. He was certain that Botan was in good hands. However, that was not the case, and Botan learned something very upsetting about her "family."

Their hospitality had been a lie.

It turned out that the family had only treated her well because their leader had mandated it, and that they never wanted a stranger like her, with her coloring, in their home. Botan had tried to understand what they meant, but had been hissed at. She avoided her family as much as possible after that, finding ways to get her own food since she was no longer welcome to the family dinners. She was treated more as a pet or a prisoner, then, and she had been sick of it. She refused to take it lying down. Of course, she did not want to end up on the streets so she held her tongue and focused on ignoring hateful words.

The couple ended up throwing her out anyway the year prior believing a lie their children told over Botan's honesty. Tossed aside like a piece of trash, she was left on the dirt path in front of the hut, two pairs of hateful eyes on her. The lady of the house had been told by their son and daughter that Botan had attempted to kill their daughter out of jealousy. It was a simple lie the children told, that they warned her they'd tell for petty reasons. They hated her and wanted her gone. She was nothing but an eyesore in their home, someone who didn't belong among their clan.

The blue-haired teen had tried to explain to the man and lady that she had never attacked their daughter, nor was she jealous. Neither would hear it, and they didn't even let Botan pack the few belongings she had accumulated. She was officially homeless.

They had abandoned her.

Now, Botan lived in humble conditions, a small, rundown home acting as shelter set up far away from all the other demons. Her clothes were in tatters, but still flattered her lithe figure. She was lucky it was almost always warm and rarely ever cold. At times, she wondered if the chief had such foresight that he had picked the location for his people for that reason.

All in the village detested her, especially when that horrible rumor circulated. She was marked in more ways than one. She was the foreigner, the burden, the child with no memories. And then, the lie had spread around, and Botan knew it had to be the cause of such animosity. She was still unaware that she was the enemy, and she had no idea that the family had really known that she was innocent. They knew she was too weak and kindhearted to do such a thing, but they all had wanted to toss her out. She was not one of them.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Botan accepted it. She knew she could leave the village at any time, though she had no idea where she could go. She had not the strength nor the experience to venture out into other areas of Demon World. The girl was not naïve. It was a kill or be killed world. In fact, she assumed that's how she came to the forest. She was lucky it was the chief who had found her and not one who wanted her dead.

Her reflection was cut short when she was hit with a massive amount of water, the laughter of two male demons around her age reaching her ears. Botan felt rage, but kept it tapered as she pushed her sopping wet hair from the front of her face giving her a view of her attackers. The two had the nerve to give each other a high five right in front of her. They were only digging themselves a deeper grave.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Botan hissed. The boys only seemed to grin at her.

"Nothing," one spot, his voice amused. "Just trying to cleanse a pile of trash." Botan felt her core jolt. "I didn't realize our _'guest'_ was under there."

"Ha, nice one," the other chortled before giving the young woman a sadistic smirk as if verbally taunting her was getting him off. "Of course, you're simply the chief's guest and even he doesn't care about you. We could kill you right now and no one would bat an eye, or at least no one you can remember."

"You jerk!" Botan shouted, her fists clenched at her side. She wanted so much to hit the apparition in front of her, to attack both of them like they were her, but she was above them. Deep down, she knew it, and she had to be. The last thing she needed was to be thrown out of the village. She had to behave despite the hate they spewed. Scoffing, she went to turn her back on them, entering her shack of a home.

Apparently, the fire demons didn't take too well to her dismissal, one of them grabbing her arm and forcing her to face him. The disgust he held in his dark eyes burned through her, but Botan stood her ground glaring firmly at the aggressor. "We're not done with you yet, bitch," he spat. Botan was unafraid.

"Is that right?"

Both fire apparitions froze at the sound of a familiar voice, one belonging to one they respected. "Oh…Sir Hiei," the assailant spoke hesitantly. "What brings you out into the village?"

Hiei's crimson eyes roved over the woman being held against her will pressed up to her shoddy home. She stared back on him in surprise. Neither had seen each other since that day she was found years prior. Botan couldn't believe how much he'd grown. He was a bit taller, though still on the shorter side, and her stood proud and tall. His arms were crossed over his chest that was puffed out, his confidence pouring off him that he could leave any other being intimidated in his wake. Not her. She was more interested in why his eyes hadn't left her.

"Release the girl," he ordered, and the villager did so, pushing the girl down and stepping back. Both boys grew nervous. Hiei was practically royalty in their eyes, treated like a son by the chief. He was fierce and powerful, well-respected by the army. He was the greatest weapon their clan had against the enemy water clan due to his abilities and the mark of the dragon. He had done what no other fire demon could, tamed what could not be tamed. He had earned the admiration of the people. "Now, leave us."

"Yes, sir," both demons replied, running away from the scene. They had no intention of returning.

Once again, his eyes were on her, and Botan didn't know what to make of it. "Thank you for the assist," she said blandly from the ground, "but I could have handled myself."

"Tch," Hiei scoffed, looking off to the side in irritation. "Whatever. Your presence is required elsewhere."

"Doubt it," she counted moving to get up. She was surprised that Hiei's hand extended before it. Looking up, Botan saw the fire demon meant business. She shrunk down under his intense gaze, but distrustfully accepted the aid. Hiei pulled her up, and Botan dusted herself off. Her eyes shot open wide at the pain in her arm. She looked down to see that she had been mildly burned. That asshole.

Hiei saw the injury, his eyes lingering on the burn for a second longer than necessary. "You can have that treated when we get to the stronghold," he informed her. "Gather anything you deem valuable. You will not be staying here any longer."

"Excuse me?" Botan seethed. "And just who do you think you are to decide that?"

Arms crossed once again, Hiei stood firmly upright. "It was not my decision. If it were, I'd leave you to rot in this…" He sneered at her living quarters and mocked her. "… _humble abode._ "

"You bastard," she growled. "It may not be much, but it's where I've been living for two years. I've been doing fine on my own. I don't need help from you or anyone else."

Something flickered in Hiei's eyes, but Botan could not really tell with him. She had no idea that Hiei was sizing her up, to see if she was worthy to begin training. It was time to use her, to make her the weapon she needed to be. Of course, he didn't see her as a weapon. She would be an asset. Really what Hiei wanted was a worthy opponent. He had heard rumors of her situation, as had the chief who had said it was "all part of the plan." Though Hiei did not share the same view as his master, he had to admit that this woman in front of him was not the pathetic child he had spotted. She could be his worthy rival.

Pain struck Botan as she moved to turn away. She still couldn't believe the demon had _burned her._ Worse, she couldn't believe she hadn't felt it and let it happen. Shame coursed through her, her eyes clenched. What the hell was she thinking turning her back on the enemy like that?

Hiei grabbed her arm forcefully though gentler than her previous attacker. Botan was about to scold him when she saw a foreign look in his eyes. "You're lucky it wasn't worse or I'd have to carry you," he said before smirking. Botan smiled lightly. Was Hiei actually teasing her?

"Yeah…" she whispered. "Lucky." With the animosity gone, Botan took a deep breath before regarding Hiei with a bit more respect. "So…what is this about going with you?"

"Chief Cameron has mandated that you return to the stronghold," Hiei stated. "He has heard of your living conditions and thought it best that you return and join our ranks."

"Join the army," Botan muttered. "You're joking, right?" His eyes denied that claim. "I'm not a fighter, Hiei."

"Tell that to the chief," Hiei returned. "It is merely my duty to escort you to the stronghold. Again, gather your valuables. You will not be returning."

Botan sighed, surrendering. "Fine, but if you have to bring me back here later, don't blame me."

"Hn."

"Just wait right her," she requested. When Hiei didn't respond, she entered her home and gathered her few necessities like her brush, her few items of tattered clothing, and a blanket she had made for herself. She was sure she didn't need it, but it would probably come in handy if she ever decided she needed a break from the fortress. If the people of the village hated and condemned her, there was no telling what would happen among the army. They probably detested her as well.

Her satchel packed, Botan left her current living space. There was no emotion in her eyes as her eyes roved over the shelter. She figured she was ready to move one. Still, she didn't know if the army was the right place for her. Apparently, it was out of her hands.

Slightly surprised to see Hiei still standing there waiting, Botan straightened her back and rolled her shoulders. Even if she doubted herself, she intended to march to the stronghold with her head held high. She would never let anyone see her uncertainty.

* * *

Hiei waited outside of the infirmary, the medic treating the wound Botan received. The fire demon had half a mind to seek out the idiot who marred the woman. No, he didn't care about the woman or her injury, but those brats had attacked the chief's pawn right in front of him. He had demanded they release her and leave her be, but he didn't think he had to demand they leave her unharmed. They were pathetic, attacking the weaker being. Disgraceful.

It was taking too long, so Hiei entered the infirmary to find Botan alone and staring up at the ceiling. Where had the medic gone? Botan must have noticed his energy for she looked over at him. "I think I've been abandoned," she murmured, annoyed.

Hiei, too, was aggravated. He didn't have all day. "Hn," he grunted before he went into the cabinets and brought out creams and bandages. Botan watched cautiously as Hiei yanked her arm and treated the injury himself. She attempted to help him, but Hiei's glare held her in place. "Leave it alone," he ordered. "Wouldn't want you to get a scar."

His sarcasm was droll, and Botan couldn't help but tiredly eye him, her amethyst orbs shining in the light. "Thank you," she finally said, breaking the silence.

The other demon's eyes met hers as he nodded. "I'll show you to your quarters."

The room to which Hiei brought Botan was stunning, massive, and even bigger than the place where she had rested the first time in the stronghold. She looked to the fire demon in awe. "W-Why…" she quietly uttered. "Why did you bring me here? This has to be the wrong room. The chief's room, perhaps?"

"This will be your room from now on," Hiei informed her. "Make yourself at home."

"But…I'm new, an outsider, hated…why?"

Cryptically, and rudely, Hiei answered, "Just be grateful."

Botan frowned at his brash tone, about to scold the demon, but she jumped when Hiei slammed the door behind him as he departed. She couldn't help but glare at the structure. She couldn't understand why Hiei had saved her or brought her there, command of the chief or not. Surely, someone else could have, but Hiei was the one who approached her. It was pretty safe to say he harbored ill feelings towards her. Why would he go out of his way to assist her?

Maybe she really should just be grateful. After all, he had aided her, helped her up in a public place such as the village. He had given her the courtesy of privacy as she gathered her belongings from her home. When the doctor left her, he was the one to treat her wound. Now that she would be living with him in such close quarters, it would probably be good for her think up a way to show her thanks. Hopefully, he'd appreciate it.

Botan was left to her own devices for the evening, a maid showing up in the evening to bring her a plate of food, water, and some alcoholic drink. The girl was not one to turn down hospitality, especially given she had barely eaten in days. She downed the food, drink, and water, leaving nothing left, and then she went out her veranda. She could see the stream from there, and part of her wanted to just jump in. The water called to her, felt right. For now, she could only take a cool bath and wash up. The next day would mark the start of her new life. She didn't know what to expect.

* * *

Morning broke, the Demon World sky getting brighter early. Botan awoke and dressed herself in clothes that were in her closet. She brushed her long hair, the blue cascading over her shoulders. Once she was confident she was presentable, she was ready to leave the room and begin exploring her new home.

Whoever knocked on the door had other plans.

Botan was hesitant to answer, not knowing who it was. Used to living on her own for so long, no one really ever came to her unless they were trying to harm or belittle her. Still, this wasn't her home, and most likely it was another soldier coming to wake her up for training. Surprisingly, it was the chief, the man wearing a warm smile on his face. "Botan, it's been too long," he soothed, and the girl relaxed. "I hope the accommodations are to your liking." She looked around the room and nodded, not wanting to sound ungrateful by saying it was too much. "Very good. I am here to welcome you. I'm sure Hiei has informed you that you will be our guest for an extended period of time."

"He has," Botan replied, "but I'm still not sure as to why. I'm not a soldier. I don't think I could ever fight."

"Have you ever tried before?" Cameron asked lightly. Botan's answer was a shake of the head. "Then you don't even know what you're capable of. We can find out together."

"I see," Botan answered.

"For now, though, I am also here to escort you to the dining hall for breakfast," he explained. "Won't you join me?"

 _Breakfast?_ Botan's stomach growled. When was the last time she had two large meals in a row? "I…" she began. "Yes, I will join, but I don't know how I'll ever be able to express my thanks to you or Hiei. Actually, I was trying to think of a way last night, especially after he came to my aid."

"For me, just train hard and enjoy yourself," Chief Cameron replied. "I hear you have suffered much, and I apologize for not learning of your living situation any sooner. Even for Hiei, you can show your thanks by training for future battles."

Botan looked shocked and terrified. "How would training be considered thanks? Besides…I've never fought before…how could I...?"

"Hiei is a warrior," the chief explained. "He was hardened as a boy, and fighting and training are probably the only ways one could ever communicate with him. The two of you will be training together. Work hard, listen well, and maybe then you will learn to understand my protégé. Of course, the choice is yours. I cannot force you into doing anything that you do not want to do. I cannot make the decision for you."

So she had a choice in the matter. The way Hiei had made it sound was that she had no choice and would be forced into training. Of course, that wouldn't be the case. At least Chief Cameron had come to explain this all to her.

What should her choice be? Truthfully, the chief was much nicer to her from the day she was found and even when she had lived with that family. It wasn't his fault that the family decided to treat her terribly once he stopped coming to monitor them. Hiei, too, was never nasty to her. A little quiet and distant, yes, and maybe _a little rude_ , but Chief Cameron had given her a reason for this. She didn't know much about Hiei to begin with, had only met him the day she was found, and when he came to find her he protected her and treated her injury. She owed him, but she didn't like owing anyone because they always wanted something in return. But it seemed like neither Hiei nor his master wanted anything. They had presented her a choice, and it would help her bond with the young fire demon. Maybe he was just looking for a friend, a comrade in arms. Maybe she could do it.

"I will train," Botan accepted. "It's the least I can do for all you and Hiei have done for me."

A genuine grin appeared on the chief's face. "Excellent. Then you will meet Hiei at the training ground after you eat your fill."

Her stomach rumbled again. That actually sounded pretty damn good.


	3. The Training Grounds

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **So, because I have this all planned out, I'm going to TRY to have a weekly update. I'm going to PLAN to get at least one chapter written each week before or after I post the update. I emphasize "TRY" and "PLAN" because I have no idea. Like I said, this story was planned back in June and I only started it a couple weeks ago? Yeah…so, basically, I will try. I know a lot of you have read some of my other stories and have been super patient. At least this story is in better straights being all planned out on paper before I even wrote it…yeah, it was an interesting week, let me tell you. The ideas would not stop flowing and I wanted to forget nothing XD Anyway, this AN is becoming lengthy, so I'm going to cut it here.**

 **Just kidding! One more note. And I'm only updating a couple days earlier because I'm going to be quite busy the next couple of days. Now…**

 **Onward!**

 **~Chapter 3 – The Training Grounds~**

* * *

Hiei took a deep breath, centering himself. He was waiting at the training grounds, a private area where he could train the woman. How she became his responsibility, Hiei had no clue. The reason he accepted was due to the promise that he could fashion his own rival. Besides, he needed a worthy opponent. The other dragon master could provide him with just that, or so the chief believed. The fire demon still didn't see the girl as a weapon. A nuisance, maybe, but not a weapon. Either way, it was his duty as per his orders. As long as he benefitted from it, he guessed it didn't matter.

What did matter was that the woman was late.

He was certain the chief didn't give her a set time to be at the training grounds, but it was Hiei's opinion that she needed to be earlier. If she was going to train with him, she would be up early and training would take up the entire day. He had to catch her up to his level after all. Right now, she couldn't even break out of the slackened grip of a random citizen. She was pathetic enough to let herself get attacked in the first place. His mood soured as he thought about those other boys, but he shook it off. Yes, it was her own fault and nothing with which to bother himself.

Finally, she arrived, speedily making her way over to him with a beaming smile. His expression faltered, growing grim. He would have to change that cheerful attitude of hers. They were not there to have fun. "Good morning, Hiei," she greeted kindly, but Hiei would have none of it. He crossed his arms, eyeing her up and down to size her up.

With bitterness, he declared, "You're late."

Botan's eyes widened before she glared at the fire demon. Her hands were on her hips in a flash. Hiei felt a twinge of something in his core. It appeared this girl had a lot of fire deep down inside. That was not something he expected. He would have to nurture that spark. "I wasn't given a time," she indicated, snapping him out of his observation, "so I'm not late. Maybe you should tell me what time you'd like me here."

Hiei scoffed before smirking at her. "We barely have any spare moment to talk since you chose not to arrive on time." Botan was about to shout back at him to reiterate what she had just gotten through explaining. "But since it would benefit me," he interjected her, effectively stopping her and forcing that irritation back down into her gut, "I will tell you. We will be out here every day training, and you will arrive to this field at dawn."

"Dawn?" Botan nearly shrieked. "Why so early each day?"

"Because, girl," Hiei spoke condescendingly, ignoring Botan's cries demanding he not call her that, "you are weak. You are in no shape to join the army in your current condition. So each day, until I deem you ready to move on, you will be running laps to get your body into shape."

Offended, Botan declared, "I am in _great_ shape, thank you very much."

Hiei nodded, but explained, "Aesthetically, yes, but not physically. You're scrawny. To fight, you need more muscle and endurance. After your laps, and we will start with twenty today, you will come back here so we can start you on your other exercises."

Botan looked at the fire demon aghast. Twenty laps was more than she knew she could do at the moment, and he wanted her to do _more?_ She didn't think her body could take all of that. "What kind of _'other exercises?'_ "

The fire demon did not look amused. "Get started. You'll find out soon enough."

Irritated by Hiei's response, Botan's cheeks puffed out in anger. She managed to refrain from making a snide remark, getting started on her laps. It was frustrating to her, knowing she couldn't do something, but she was going to find a way to get through if only to show that smug jerk what true determination looked like.

* * *

After the run, which took the entire morning, Botan was immediately thrown into other exercises. At first, Hiei was teaching her defense moves that she struggled to master. He made her repeat the exercises until she managed to do it right once on the practice dummy. Then he had her practicing her punches, the woman being forced to punch the air and "follow through" with her hits, whatever that meant. Hiei was practically a drill sergeant barely giving her an inch, not even allowing her to break for lunch. She was drained by the time her forced her to do pushups and sit-ups. The former were difficult because of her "scrawny" arms, and it took her a while.

It was near dinnertime, and she was still doing these sit-ups. Each time she sat up, she received an excellent view of Hiei training himself, his shirt tossed aside on the ground and katana in hand. The way he moved mesmerized her for a moment that she had nearly forgotten what a selfish jerk he was. It was like watching a beautiful dance, and Botan found herself pausing longer in her sit-up just to watch him while ignoring the burning sensation in her muscles from the strain. This was Hiei in all his glory.

He seemed different somehow when he himself was training. Botan couldn't help but be curious about the fire demon. She owed him a great deal of gratitude not only for stepping in, but for treating her wounds and now training her however harshly. Maybe she could bridge a gap, get to know and learn more about him. She had to try. Actually, her positive thoughts made getting through the training. She would get to know her trainer.

Of course, no amount of curiosity could prevent Hiei from acting like a self-confident scoundrel.

The more she tried to get close to Hiei, the more her ire towards the demon grew. He seemed to be in no mood to ever answer her questions or even converse with her, and he continued to put her through harsh training. He treated her terribly, and she lost her inquiry to who he really was. In fact, she went to bed at night picturing how many ways she could murder her teacher only to fail in the mental images each time.

As the weeks went by turning into months, everything remained the same. Botan was starting to regret ever wanting to get to know the other teenager, the exact reason she agreed when Chief Cameron has asked her to train. She had wanted to thank Hiei for all he had done and maybe make a friend. As pathetic as it seemed, Botan was desperate to make a connection. Even in the stronghold, she was avoid though not harmed or reviled in any way. She was truly alone. The girl was beginning to hate the fire demon and herself. Something needed to give. This training had to stop.

So, one day, she decided to show up late for training. In fact, she waited to enter the field, watching Hiei for a while as his mood shifted to anger. It eased her heart to see him angered as he waited for her. This was exactly what the chief's protégé deserved for treating her so cruelly.

A confident air around her, Botan marched up to Hiei. Immediately, he spotted her and snarled. Botan actually felt intimidated when his energy shifted, but she did not drop her cool façade. "How dare you?" Hiei growled darkly. "Get to work. Begin your laps, thirty for showing up late."

"No."

Shocked and frozen, Hiei's tense form shift its attention to the blue-haired teenager. "Repeat that."

"No," Botan said, more definite this time. "That's what I said. I will not be running laps today. You and I both know my speed and endurance are fine and you're just being spiteful and looking down on me like all the others." Hiei hardly reacted, his expression neutral as she continued her tirade. "I wanted to get to know you, thought you were different, but in reality you're just like them. If that's the case, I'd rather take my chances out on the streets than with you here. Good day to you."

Botan stormed off, stomping her feet into the ground below her. Hiei's neutral façade broke, and he smirked while releasing a chuckle. Her shoulders bunched up when she heard the sound, but she kept walking. Hiei's expression remained calm yet amused as he ordered, "Stop. Wait."

The girl's cheeks flared up in anger once more. Did Hiei actually think he had anything worth saying? She noticed his grin and narrowed her eyes. What he told her shocked her to her very core.

His cocky smirk caused a wave of magnetism that drew her in. "You pass." Botan gawped at him in disbelief. "All these weeks, woman, and you've finally stood up to me. I've been waiting for you to show me some backbone. Now, I know you're worthy of my time. Now, I have proof that you are ready for the _real_ training."

Botan felt true joy, beaming at the fire demon. So all of this had been a test, and she had passed. She didn't even know that would be a possibility. "I won't let you down," she chimed. And she meant it. After all, Hiei had clearly been impressed with her. She really could not disappoint him.

* * *

It was that day where Hiei had ended her drills and demanded she come at him with her full strength. Botan hadn't expected it to be easy. Hiei had much more training and discipline than she had. Hers was new and because of him. Him, he was amazing.

He was faster than she anticipated, and he toyed with her for quite a bit. Eventually, he bridged the gap, getting close enough for her to hit him, but he hit her back hard and knocked Botan down on her rear. She looked up to the fire demon only to see him smirking at her. "In a battle, it won't always be one-sided," he warned. "The enemy will try to kill you in battle. Take that from today. If you were the enemy, I would have ended you."

Botan nodded, accepting the chilling lesson. She looked up at the fire demon, her mind curious. It had been years since she had been "accepted" into the village. She was not unaware that there was an enemy, but she knew little about the conflict. Maybe, though, since she was training with the army, someone would tell her. "Hiei," she called out softly. He regarded her with hard eyes. "Can you…can you tell me about the enemy?"

Hiei seemed to be in deep contemplation for a moment before he took a seat in front of her. "I don't see why not," he replied coolly. "There were two clans from what I was told in coming here, one of fire and one of water. The chief of the water clan wants to snuff out our light and take the territory of our master. The leader was offered an amicable settlement before the war, but tried to assassinate the master. That happened shortly after I was taken in, when I was young. I don't know how the full conflict was started. All I know is that the water clan leader is a monster. He had destroyed countless villages in his rage, including the one where I had lived."

"That's awful," Botan offered, feeling a deep sense of sadness. So Hiei hadn't been born into this clan. He was an outsider as well. "I'm sorry your village was destroyed. Tell me about it."

"There's nothing to tell," Hiei said abruptly. "It was a means to an end, a temporary home when I lost my previous residence."

"Oh," Botan murmured. "So, if you were taken in, where did you come from before?"

That was the worst question the woman could have asked, and Hiei glared heatedly at her. The training session was immediately ended, Hiei getting up and walking away from her. "Wait, Hiei!" she shouted out. He ignored her, walked right back into the stronghold while slamming the door shut behind him. He released a breath of anger and continued to walk to his room.

Hiei had not expected Botan to ask him about his past. He tried so hard to put it behind him and not be affected by the constant abandonment. Still young, Hiei understood that it would take time, and he didn't need some amnesiac stranger to pry into his life. He could not help but feel a twinge of anger towards her.

* * *

The next day, Botan was super early for training, and she found Hiei getting ready to perform his own exercises. She greeted him, but he did not react to her. Her cheeks puffed out in anger, but she remembered that she had somehow offended him the day before and tapered her reaction. She gazed upon him with empathy and said, "I'm here for training."

"Leave me be," Hiei demanded, not breaking out of his movements. "I have no desire to train you."

Botan felt her core sink and frowned. She took in a deep breath, lowering her guard and pride. "Hiei," she spoke, "I don't know what I did wrong, but I am deeply sorry if I offended you." He ignored her apology, and Botan felt like the progress they had made the previous day had been shot. "Please, Hiei," she begged. "Please just talk to me."

Aggravated, Hiei turned to her and shoved her aside. Botan stumbled, but she noticed that Hiei hardly used any force at all. Still, his hateful, crimson eyes landed on her, and she felt very small in that moment. "I want you to stay away from me from now on," he growled. "Do not make me say it again, or I will gladly give you a demonstration on how one gets rid of the enemy."

Botan's expression fell. Why was he acting so cold towards her? She had believed that they would get to a point where maybe they could be friends. They were close in age and spending a ton of time together. Sure, she had been bothered by his training, but she really trusted that she had earned a little of respect the previous day. Why…why was he so mad at her?

"Will you tell me what I did wrong?" she asked, her voice broken. She did not get an answer. Instead, Hiei used his fire abilities to hit wooden poles. It frightened the woman, and she quickly left him, worried she'd get burned.

She slammed the door to the field shut and practically threw herself against it. This was not how she intended the day to go. When she woke up, she had been hoping that Hiei would have gotten over whatever it was she did, but it seemed like he could really hold a grudge. It wasn't fair. She didn't even do anything!

He had implied that he now saw her as an enemy when all she had done was ask him about his past. Maybe something really traumatic happened to him that she would never understand, except that she totally and completely would. That had to be it. Hiei had spoken to her in a way that no one else ever had since she had come to this village. He didn't treat her like the amnesiac, the outsider, the trash, or even the enemy until now. He had told her about a history no one else dared to speak around her. Maybe, before she brought up the past, he had seen her as an equal.

Yes, something horrible had to happen to Hiei, and Botan decided not to pry. First, she needed to find a way to get back in his good graces. He shouldn't have to worry about others prying into his history. Once she could get him to talk to her, she was certain that he would listen as she told him she would never try to pry again. There was only one problem.

How was she supposed to get him to accept her apology?


	4. The Apology

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **So far, it's looking good for weekly updates. That's actually really exciting for me :D Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, adding to favorites/follows, etc. I'm really excited about this story, and I'm happy to see that you are too. I don't really have much else to say today, so let's just get into it.**

 **~Chapter 4 – The Apology~**

* * *

Not much time had passed since Hiei had banished Botan from his sight, and thankfully so for she was not training as much and didn't need to lose the progress. With nothing to do, she sat around her room, still doing the pushups, sit-ups, and punches while practicing the defense moves and adding her own flare. No, she couldn't give up the training fully, not when she was expected to join the army. But all it served to do was make her think of Hiei and how he had sent her away. His dismissal saddened her, and she was still no closer to figuring out the perfect way to apologize and how to make it clear she would never try to overstep again. She hadn't meant to in the first place.

"Ah, Botan," Chief Cameron greeted, and Botan felt herself freeze on the inside. Sometimes she was still nervous around the generous chief, probably due to his position of authority. It was silly. He was such a kind man.

She offered the chief a smile and welcomed him to join her. "Good morning, Chief Cameron. How are you, today?"

The chief smirked at the teenager, pretty pleased that he appeared to have already sparked loyalty and admiration in her. "I am well, child. It is good to see you. I haven't in so long. How is your training coming along? I'm sure Hiei has kept you busy."

Botan's face turned red, mainly from fear and embarrassment. That was right…the chief had ordered Hiei to train her, and now the fire demon was breaking his mandate because she had hurt him. "It's going well," she lied, wanting to protect Hiei and not make things any worse for him. "He's teaching me so much. Actually, I just finished my warmup in my room and decided to get breakfast before going to meet him."

"Very good," Cameron replied. "It makes me happy to see the two of you getting along so well."

Botan ignored the longing in her core, but she was reminded that she and Hiei had gotten along for a moment, and that moment was when he actually told her about the water tribe and the attack on the chief. "I have a question," she timidly uttered.

Chief Cameron eyed her curiously before smiling. "Speak, child, for you have nothing to fear from me. What troubles you?"

"Well…" she murmured, tapping her fingers together as she thought of the best way to broach the subject. "Hiei told me about the water clan, how they tried to hurt you. I was hoping you could tell me more. Why would anyone want to assassinate you? You were offering them peace… Why?"

The chief sighed, but in exhaustion and not in anger. He offered the teenaged demon a sad grin. "It is a very long story," he explained. "You see, the water clan leader was once my most trusted friend. We are actually distant cousins. A misunderstanding led him into a heated rage, and his sanity was lost that day."

"What was the misunderstanding?"

He shook his head. "It's not important, my child. It was petty, and I hardly remember it. He destroyed our village. We once lived side by side. Luckily, none of my people were hurt, only displaced. We lost almost everything. Our homes, our possessions, but not our spirit and our cores. We fought to find a new home and got busy on the construction right away. Other villages assisted us in the beginning, villages who ended up losing themselves to the water clan armies. I will never forget their aid or sacrifice. I knew my cousin needed to be stopped once they attacked a random village, the place where I found Hiei."

Botan's eyes went wide. She thought for sure when the chief said villages had aided him that Hiei's was included, but it wasn't. "Why would he…?"

"I don't have the best answer," the chief settled, though he knew that somehow his cousin had learned of the existence of the dragon master. He could not mention this detail to Botan in case it would reignite her memories of her own dragon. He planned on telling her gently in the future, once he knew she was loyal and once he had her trust. It would then be her choice, if she remembered or not, whether or not to stay on their side. "This war has been going on for centuries. After Hiei's village was wiped out, I knew it needed to end. I offered a peace deal, but my cousin would not hear of it. No side is any closer to victory."

"I'm sorry," Botan offered. "I…don't know if I can be of any help, but I want to. Your people and Hiei did nothing to deserve this. It isn't fair."

Chief Cameron smiled at the girl. "Nothing in life ever is. I only hope that on day my cousin can find peace in his mind and core. This has gone on for far too long." A wistful gaze was cast on the wall before Cameron sighed again and pat the head of the teenager. "You are a very kind child, and I appreciate you listening to my tale."

"Thank you for sharing it, Chief Cameron," Botan responded, offering him an empathetic grin. "Maybe, one day, your cousin will find peace."

The chief nodded to her and excused himself, leaving the mess hall. He looked back over to regard Botan. He had lied when he told the girl that no side was any closer to victory, and his expression grew grim. He had, in fact, found a way to bring an end to the war, by having both Hiei and Botan on his side, and the two of them together could bring about the end of the water tribe. A part of him wished it had never come to this, but it was his only option. His cousin needed to be thwarted once and for all.

* * *

After Botan had spoken with the chief, her emotions had weighed heavily on her. She couldn't really stay to train in the mood she was in, so she decided to go out into the village. No one paid her any mind as she headed to the outskirts by the stream. She had hardly come out there, but just being by the water served to make her feel much better. She took off her moccasins and allowed her feet to touch the water. Her whole body flared with energy, and she heard herself sigh in contentment. She would have to remember this. She wished she had some memory of who she was before all of this. Maybe then she could understand why the water only served to relax her and settle her core. It truly felt like home.

Her eyes shifted to a tree, white flowers growing up its bark. They were quite beautiful, and Botan pulled out of the water and went up to the tree to get a better look at the blossoms. Gently, she touched the pure white petals, mesmerized by their softness. She decided to pick a few and bring them back to the water's edge. Her feet were submerged once again, and she took out a needle and thread she had in her pack to mend her clothing. She decided to sew the flowers together to create a large ring, a wreath. All of a sudden, her core made a connection.

Something inside her told her that wherever she must have come from, these wreaths were seen as a symbol of unspoken apology. Botan had been trying so hard to come up with a way to express her sorrow to Hiei to which he would be willing to listen. A spoken apology would not help. She needed to show the fire demon her sorrow and her desire to go back before her mistake. She had to bring this woven ring to her friend.

Smiling brightly, Botan returned to the stronghold and went directly to the training ground. There Hiei was in all his dedicated glory. His eye caught her, and she knew he probably muttered a curse, but it was okay. Her gift to him, this pure apology, would show him that he was not alone and that she would never again push him.

She walked right up to him, ignoring the distrust gleam in his eyes, and presented the white wreath to him. Botan felt such joy when he looked down at his hands at the string of garland. Then, his eyes narrowed, and he burned her apology to cinders right in front of her. Her expression faltered, and her head dropped in defeat.

Hiei smirked at the woman's fallen, crushed expression, but shock took over when Botan started crying right there in front of him. Tears poured from her eyes as horrible wails shook him to his core. The fire demon was paralyzed, his mouth dropped open in his daze. Botan fled from him, not that he could move to stop her, and left him alone in silence in the middle of the training grounds.

He was at a loss of what to do, just standing there while trying to process what had just occurred.

* * *

Once Hiei's thoughts had calmed enough, much later in the day, he traversed to Botan's room hoping to speak with her. The reaction she had upon him burning the flowers was not what Hiei had expected. He had no idea why she'd be so distraught over something so trivial. Upon reaching her room and finding it locked, Hiei was faced with the harsh reality.

Botan was still crying horrendously.

He could feel his insides twist painfully. Just how much had that simple wreath meant to her for her to be acting this way? She was unbearably upset about flowers? Why? It didn't matter. What mattered was that he didn't like it.

For the first time in his life, Hiei actually felt regret over being the cause of another's pain, and he wanted to make it better. He had no idea how to make it better. Even if he knocked, he was certain she would not permit him to enter or speak. And then it hit him.

Hiei disappeared from the stronghold that night, desperate to find a way to apologize. He could only hope that his gesture would reach through to her.

* * *

The next morning, Botan decided to leave the room. Her eyes were red, but she had no choice. She had skipped lunch and dinner the day before, first by going out to the stream and then by getting so upset. Breakfast was needed, but she planned to return to her room. It seemed that Hiei would never accept her apology.

A sick feeling washed over her as she opened the door. Now that she was eating the way she should, she felt it more when she skipped meals. She couldn't do this too often. She nearly stumbled, grabbing onto the doorknob, but she frozen when she felt something soft touch her arm. Her eyes shot to the structure, eyes widening in surprise.

There, on the doorknob, was a wreath of white flowers, sloppily strewn together into a ring. The wreath fell to the floor, the flowers a little dirty and burnt. A smile graced her features at the worn-out wreath. Hiei must have worked hard to try to make this for her, offering her his own unspoken apology for upsetting her. She went to breakfast feeling lighter. Hiei had really made her day.

Hiei did not know what to do. He had made the ring of flowers for Botan as she had him, but he knew he ruined it. It was nothing like the one she made for him. The fact that he accidentally burnt the petals in his irritation only made it worse. But he was meant to be a destroyer, not a creator. He was certain his gesture would be empty on the woman. It was already late in the morning, and she still had yet to come to him. She probably saw him as a monster, sullying the purity she created that he had ultimately wrecked.

"Good morning, Hiei."

His breath nearly caught in his throat when he heard her kind, sprightly voice. He turned to see the blue-haired woman smiling at him, her eyes closed. She was standing tall and happy in front of him, beaming so brightly. The woman was ready to train with him again. His broken gift had actually brought her to him again. "Sorry I'm late."

Instead of giving her grief like he normally did, Hiei actually found himself speechless and shy. He never felt this way around anyone at any point of his life. What made this woman any different? It didn't matter that she noticed his gesture. He expected that, and yet he felt tense, like he needed to be guarded around her, like she could tear him apart with just her smile.

Why the hell was she still smiling at him?

"Shall we get started?" she questioned, her voice still light and airy, though there was a hint of determination, and Hiei felt his body reacting to that fire in such a strange way. "I've been doing those exercises on my own, and I think I'm ready for a good spar."

She was challenging him, and oh was it making his blood boil, but not in rage. Something less sinister and more dominating. The feeling threatened to overpower him with its allure. A smirk appeared on his face, their previous interactions pushed from his mind. He wanted to fight this woman. He was ready and eager to see what she could accomplish.

The two stood across from each other, both falling into a defensive stance. Hiei observed Botan's form and had to admit he was pretty impressed. Of course, she still had a long way to go. He noticed several openings. Still, he refused to underestimate this woman. After all, she was _his_ student.

Hiei sprang into action, moving so swiftly Botan could hardly see him. She felt a sensation behind her, and she managed to dodge a hit from behind. She grinned. She had known she was open there, but she hadn't expected Hiei to attack from behind. He was too honorable for that. She realized, though, that she had fallen into hi trap. It was a feint. He wasn't behind her. He was actually in front of her, ready to show her his true strength. Botan narrowly evaded a hit to her gut, and she found taking the time to center her breathing was not wise. Hiei was not going easy on her or letting up. She smirked and charged at the fire demon.

The two kept exchanging blows, some hitting, some missing, and both were actually finding enjoyment, the two sharing laughs over the exchange. It was like this strange energy had erupted over them and filled them, egging them on. Eventually, Botan was tired of the exchange, but she didn't necessarily want to deal a finishing blow, at least not in the traditional sense.

The wind was knocked out of Hiei as he hit the ground hard, Botan's arms wrapped around him. The demon looked up at the woman with wary, distrustful eyes, but her warm smile settled him. "I win," she chimed happily.

Hiei was paralyzed beneath her, not understanding what she was doing as she tightened her grip and lied her head on his chest. His arms were pinned down on the ground by some intensified gravity. He could not move. All his muscles were active and tensed beneath this woman, and yet he couldn't even attempt to push her away and force her off of him.

"Hiei," she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper, but he couldn't find his voice. What was happening? Why couldn't he push her away? "I just want you to know I forgive you too."

Somehow, her words made the fire demon less rigid, but he was still as stiff as a board beneath her. Still, he made no move to pry the woman off of him. Actually, he hated to admit, that it actually did feel kind of nice. He had never been touched in this way before in his life. That should have been reason enough to get her off of him. He couldn't trust that there was no hidden agenda, and yet he could not sense any malicious intent. Botan was not even trying to move away or do much of anything else.

After they had stayed like in that position for quite some time, Hiei finally moved his arm, his hand beating the heavy weight and settling on her, weakly touching her shoulder. Botan's smile did not go unnoticed by the fire demon. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. Her expression had become rather peaceful, a stark contrast to what Hiei was feeling in that moment.

* * *

Botan sighed as she stepped out of her bath and dressed in her clothes for the night. She was actually feeling so much better than she had in a long time. She was still in awe that Hiei had accepted her apology and forgiven her, his unspoken apology hanging on the knob of her armoire. She smiled at the wreath.

The heavy haze of anxiety was finally gone, and between that and a full day of training and sparring, Botan was exhausted. She practically fell into bed, comfort washing through her. Her mind was at peace again. Hiei had forgiven her. Everything was as it should be, and Hiei had actually responded to her hug. The thought alone had brought her such joy. Her fire demon friend didn't hate her. That made her happy.


	5. The Weapon

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Hey everyone! In addition to trying to work weekly updates for a few of my stories, I'm hoping to also keep you more notified. On my fanfiction profile, I do a monthly update deal and occasionally change the stories in my "Currently Working On" section. I decided that I wasn't doing much with my DeviantArt account except the occasional practice drawing. So now, I'm going to be using it to give you more real time updates. Feel free, if you have or decide to make an account, to search and watch Firestorm1991 (makes it easier to remember, right?). That way, you can know what I'm up to and updating.**

 **~Chapter 5 – The Weapon~**

* * *

Since the day Hiei had given his unspoken apology, he and Botan had fallen back into their rhythm. The two of them trained all day still, but they spent time sparring together. Botan was a quick learner, excelling more due to their fights. She was not all that strong yet, but she made up for it with her speed and clever nature. Hiei had actually come to enjoy her company.

The fire demon took a break, guzzling up some water from a canteen. The girl had taken a seat beside him, winded, so he handed her the drink. She flashed him a thankful smile, suckling the remainder of the cool liquid. A sigh escaped her as she leaned back against a rock, the two of them covered in sweat. "So, what now, teacher?" she quipped, and Hiei chuckled.

"You're eager," he remarked. "Contrast from your first day of training."

Botan nodded in memory, a grin on her face. "I'm ready to learn more, Hiei. Whatever you want to teach me."

The power of suggestion worked wonders with the fire demon. In fact, he rather enjoyed how Botan had grown a bit of backbone. When she was ready for more, she made sure to let him know, and he always obliged. She was not the weakling who lived in the village. She was quickly becoming his rival, surpassing the other soldiers in mere willpower. She would become an amazing fighter.

"I believe it's time we start training with weapons," Hiei informed her, and Botan looked shock. He took out his katana, unsheathing the blade. The girl eyes it with fascination. "This is my weapon," he told her. "It is an extension of myself. Our next matter of training is to find yours."

"You're going to teach me to use a sword?"

Hiei smirked. "I'm going to teach you to wield a sword. I think you can handle it, now."

Botan beamed at the fire demon, once again promising, "I won't let you down."

* * *

Unfortunately, a sword was not a good weapon for Botan, as the two figured out almost immediately. She struggled to wield it properly, Hiei observing her with a calculated glance which made her feel even worse and more frustrated. She tossed the heavy, metal object down and turned away from him, sitting on the ground. She felt like a failure, and she said as much, berating herself to Hiei. The fire demon moved to sit beside her. "Don't say that. I was eager," he told her. "Sometimes it takes a while to find the right weapon. There are others. Just because you can't work with one doesn't mean you won't find another."

Her eyes landed on his, searching for a lie. "Really?"

Hiei nodded. "Let's go to the weaponry," he stated. "You'll find your weapon." Botan smiled at him and returned his nod.

Botan was in awe when they stepped into the weaponry. Hiei seemingly knew exactly where he was going, but Botan knew she could get lost in the maze of weapons. She had never seen so many and so many different kinds. Hiei's explanation had to ring true. There were just so many to choose from. She patiently waited for Hiei to return to her, and when he did, he had a bow and a satchel of arrows in hand. He smirked at her. "You should try this instead."

They made their way into a darkened room lit by flames. There were targets lining the wall ahead, and Botan realized that Hiei had brought her there to practice. Hiei gave her some basic instruction on how to handle the bow. It was lighter than the sword, but still a bit heavy, but Botan found herself liking the feel of it better than the sword.

Hiei watched her from the back of the room. He hadn't known what had drawn him to the bow, but it seemed to fit the girl's stature. She would have an easier time with this weapon, he was sure of it. His eyes never left her form as she instinctively took a deep breath and allowed the arrow to release.

She nearly made a perfect target.

The fire demon smirked, but his pride was short lived as Botan once again berated herself. She seemed to be her own worst critic, and it was even worse, he noticed, when she felt like she was letting _him_ down. His hardened eyes softened, and he walked over to her, prepared to tell her just what he thought.

"That was an astonishing first try," he confessed, and Botan peeked out at him through her hands. "It was your first time using a weapon, and it was almost perfect. With practice, your aim will get better."

"What if it doesn't?" Hiei chuckled, irritating Botan. Her cheeks puffed out after she asked him what was so funny.

"You are," he admitted, smirking at her. "You worry too much, woman." Botan looked to him in shock. "Practice will make you perform better, plus you will get to know your weapon."

"You talk about it as if it's another living entity." His eyes shifted to her, holding a little bit of anger. "What? What did I say?"

"Even if it's not, you should treat it like it is," he explained. "You need to learn its limitations. Work with it, and it will work with you. Eventually, it will be an extension of yourself. It may as well be a living entity."

"I understand," Botan expressed with a nod. Her spine straightened with confidence. "I'll practice every day until I master my weapon."

Hiei nodded and left the room leaving her to practice and train. He could hear the distinct sound of the arrows colliding with the material, one right after the other. He smirked. It seemed like Botan was really determined. He liked that about her.

* * *

What he didn't expect was that he wouldn't see her for quite a while. Botan practiced all the time now, it seemed, in the morning and then at night. She practiced so much that Hiei didn't see her at the training grounds anymore, and he took notice. More than he should have. Actually, he was loathe to admit that it went deeper than that. The fire demon realized that he actually missed the water demon. His brows furrowed as he pondered what that actually meant.

One day, when he had been finished with his own training, Hiei sought her out and returned to the target room. He watched her from the door, the woman hitting every target dead on multiple times in different poses. He smirked. She was really getting the hand of this, preparing herself even for if she'd see battle. He had to admit that he was exceedingly impressed.

As if Botan had sensed his presence, her eyes landed on him, and she wore one of the biggest smiles. She was extremely happy to see him, a notion Hiei still had difficulty understanding, and she nearly tackled him for a hug. Having gotten used to her antics, Hiei caught her effortlessly and allowed his arms to loosely wrap around her waist. "Hiei, isn't this great?" she chimed happily. "I've gotten so much better in the last few days. You were right! It really does feel like an extension. I've even been imagine the targets as enemies. I can really do this!"

Instead of egging her one with "I told you so," Hiei simply asked a question that caught Botan off-guard. "Do you think you're ready to handle a moving target?" He could see slight fear in Botan's eyes, his furrowing in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Fight you? I couldn't do that…not like this. What if…"

Hiei smirked at her and shook his head. "It's nice to know you have so much faith in my evasion," he quipped. "I'm not talking about me." Botan appeared to be even more confused. He flat out told her, "We're going hunting."

* * *

Hiei brought her to the stream, spending the entire day teaching Botan how to hunt for food. At first, Botan did struggle with the moving targets, but she learned to track the movements of the animal spirits and anticipate the moment they'd try to escape. She learned very quickly, and eventually the two of them were sitting by a fire. It was a cool night, calm, and they sat in comfortable silence eating their kill. Botan had to admit she had learned a lot about hunting and food preparation that day from the fire demon. She looked to him, her gaze full of interest. Chewing on her lip, her nerves took over. The last time she asked Hiei something personal, she had angered him so much. They had spent more time together, had become closer, maybe he wouldn't be as incensed.

"You're staring."

Botan averted her eyes back to her meal, Hiei's blood-red eyes on her. "It's nothing," she lied, taking a bite of the cooked meat.

Hiei's brows furrowed. He wondered what was on the woman's mind and why she wouldn't tell him. He looked up at the sky of their realm. The silence became stifling, and he sighed as he leaned back on his hands. "Speak your mind, woman."

"That's not the best idea," Botan explained, her voice quiet as she looked into the flames. "The last time I did, I made you mad." She didn't notice Hiei's expression, his eyes widening in surprise before flashing her a forgiving glance. "I'm afraid that if I ask a question, I'll upset you again, and I don't want to go through all of that again. Honestly, Hiei…you're really the only friend I've ever had."

Hiei looked away and remained silent. He didn't know how to react to Botan's honesty. Her declaration touched him, but he needed to keep his guard up. That was how he was, and he refused to change. Yet, at the same time he was almost curious as to why she found him so interesting. Though hesitant, he made a move that would change everything. His hardened gaze landed on the fire. "Just ask your question."

Her head whipped around, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Really? I can just ask whatever?"

Hiei thought about it for a moment, swallowing thickly as he nodded. "If I decide not to answer, you will drop it, got it?" A bright smile was his answer, and it did things to his inside and core. Why did she have to look at him like that?

"Okay," Botan murmured before taking a deep breath. She leaned back with him, her hands holding her up for support. "I was just wondering…how did you learn all this hunting stuff? Where?"

That was an easy question. "I had to learn on my own," Hiei informed her. Concern flickered in her eyes, but Hiei ignored it as he continued. "In Demon World, it's all about survival of the fittest." Though he didn't say more than that, Botan understood. She realized that he meant he was on his own and had no choice but to fend for himself. It brought her back to the other day when she asked where he had been before the village. He had completely shut her out. Though she wanted to ask, she was terrified. She grew unusually quiet once more, and Hiei growled and demanded to know what she was thinking. "What?"

His tone actually frightened Botan, and she shook her head. "It's really nothing," she lied before getting up and dusting herself off. "Well…thank you for taking me out and teaching me hunting today, but I think I'll just be…" She pointed back towards the fortress and started to walk away from him, but she was stopped by Hiei's voice, a gasp escaping her lips.

"You want to know about my past," he remarked. Botan didn't truly believe she had heard right. The aura around the fire demon grew very solemn and bitter, and Botan felt it was directed towards her. "Sit down, woman. We're only discussing this once."

Botan nodded and then turned back to face him, cautiously walking back to where she had been sitting. She knelt down in front of him, sitting respectfully as Hiei glowered at the flames. The two remained in silence for a while before Hiei's deep voice resonated in the woods. "As I had said before, this village was not originally my home." His guarded eyes met Botan's, hers full of emotion, mainly concern. A frustrated huff escaped him. "I'm sure you can gather, from my reaction, that it wasn't the best experience."

"Yeah…" Botan whispered empathetically. "Hiei, it's okay. You don't have to tell me. That's what I was trying to convey to you through my unspoken apology. I didn't want that to come between us. You can tell me when you're ready, or you never have to tell me. I promise, I won't bother you about it anymore."

"It's fine," Hiei remarked, astonishing his trainee. "Before this village and the one that was attacked by the water clan, I lived among a band of thieves." Botan seemed to be surprised, yet interested. "They came across me after my original people had cast me out of their village."

"Why would anyone do that to a child?" Hiei's empty eyes met hers. "W-What? Did I say something wrong?"

An internal debate was going on inside of Hiei. Only one other person knew of his hardships, mainly because Hiei had trusted the man above all. In a way, he had grown to trust Botan. He knew she was the supposed enemy to the fire clan, but at the same time he wasn't even of the fire clan. Besides, Botan seemed to have no ill will towards him. Surely, her instincts would tell her that she couldn't trust him. His eyes darted to her arm, the purple dragon coiled around it. Even though her dragon was supposed to rival his, he did not feel threatened by her. Instead, he dared to say he trusted her more than his master.

"I wasn't a child," he admitted. "I was a bit younger than that."

Botan's amethyst eyes were like saucers, her mouth dropping open before she clamped it shut and shook her head. "No, that…why?"

Hiei was taken aback by her reaction. She looked so horrified, so hurt and torn apart over his banishment, as if it should affect her in any way. He shook off whatever strange emotion he was feeling and tugged on a chain that hung around his neck, exposing a very beautiful and precious jewel. Botan was drawn in, mesmerized by the way it glimmered in the firelight. "It's beautiful," she murmured. Her eyes shifted slightly to gaze into his. "But what does it have to do with this?"

"This is a hiruiseki stone," he told her. Botan's brows furrowed, and Hiei realized that she probably had no memory of anything regarding Demon World and its many races. Besides, being a part of the water clan, she may have never heard of anything regarding a village of ice women. "A gem formed by the tear of an ice maiden. This type is rare, shed only when a mother gives birth to a child."

"O…kay?"

"The maidens only give birth to female offspring," he continued, and Botan became even more confused. "Unless they have an affair with a man. Then the child is born male, a child of fire, a forbidden child, the imiko." Recognition flashed across the woman's features, and he was certain she understood. "I have memories from the moment I was born of a people who cursed my name and existence, treated me like some unwanted monster, and stated that I was a curse who was not meant to create or love, only destroy, full of hatred. If I exist, their world is damned for I would destroy it in my rage." A tear escaped the woman, and Hiei sneered. He took her tears the wrong way, continuing with his odious speech. "So I chose to live among the thieves who found me and tried to take my mother's stone. It was my choice to justify their words, to become the monster, a thief and murderer, and to bring destruction wherever I went."

More tears fell, and Botan shook her head. Hiei chuckled wryly adding, "But it's fine. I've known this about myself for years. It doesn't matter if it frightens or bothers you, if you want nothing to do with me. You're stuck with me until my master decides to utilize your skills." Botan's eyes were darkened by her tears, Hiei's narrowing at her.

"Do…do you really think that's why I'm crying?" Botan questioned, sniffling as she tried to rub the salty liquid from her eyes. Hiei's glare was very telling. "I'm not crying because I want nothing to do with you." She was crying over the injustice that he suffered, the abandonment and loneliness he must have felt that she could relate to all too well. It was awful. How could anyone say something like that about a baby? But she didn't give him more than that. He would think she was pitying him, and Botan felt anything but pity. The demon was proud of Hiei and respected him even more than before. There was little way to convey what she was feeling without becoming overly emotional.

Hiei didn't believe her and stood up, moving to walk away. He was stopped by Botan grabbing his arm and pulling him down to the ground. Shock filled his crimson orbs, a gasp sucked in as Botan's lips covered his. While his eyes remained wide and open, he noticed that Botan's were closed and still leaking out tears.

After a seemingly long moment, Botan finally pulled away from Hiei, getting ready to leave. She couldn't believe she had just done that, gone and kissed him like that. He was certain to be livid with her, and she did not want to stick around to deal with it in that moment when she was already feeling so vulnerable.

Hiei's hand stopped her retreat, pulling her back by way of her ponytail. She was about to scold the fire demon until she saw the uncertainty in his normally apathetic eyes. "Why?" his voice rasped, wary.

Botan relaxed, eyes tempered as her gentle voice answered, "Because you're my friend and I love you."

The fire demon's eyes softened, her confession so innocent and full of genuine affection. He didn't know when he had moved closer to the woman, but he remembered pulling her in for another kiss and the woman responding to him in kind. In that moment, there was only them, and it was peaceful.

Of course, neither of them knew that they were being watched, and the onlooker was not pleased.


	6. The Ultimatum

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **I don't really have much to say except time for an update. It's been a crazy last couple of days dealing with a loss in the family. We just got home from the funeral/burial, so I'm just kind of lazing around right now. Thankfully, this was written already so you guys didn't have to wait. I hope you enjoy.**

 **~Chapter 6 – The Ultimatum~**

* * *

A weight existed in the room as Hiei entered his master's chamber. The man had summoned him. Hiei had no idea as to why. He assumed it had to do with Botan's training. When he regarded the chief's form, the man was facing his window and looking out into surrounding forest. "Master," Hiei greeted. "I have come to report."

Chief Cameron's form turned to the other fire demon only slightly. He had yet to say anything. Hiei was taken aback by the chief's demeanor, but he didn't let it show. "I assume you wish to know of Botan," he remarked. "Her training is coming along very well. She has found her weapon of choice and can use it well. Her defense and speed have also improved, as well as her skill."

"That is not what I want to discuss," the chief stated firmly, and Hiei went silent. "Is that all you have to say about Botan, Hiei?"

The teenaged demon's brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't know what you're implying," he responded defensively. Why did his master seem so angry? It didn't make any sense to him.

The chief looked back out the window and growled. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he stated. "I saw the two of you, Hiei." He turned around fully to observe Hiei. Though the fire demon was a little surprised, he did not seem bothered, and that angered Cameron. "I saw you last night, kissing a member of the water clan."

Hiei remained emotionless, but was actually quite stunned that he hadn't sensed any energies nearby, especially an energy as familiar as his master. He still probably wouldn't have thought anything of it even if he had sensed the chief. "And? What of it?"

Chief Cameron's eyes narrowed at his charge. He couldn't believe that Hiei could not see the severity of what he had done. "She is the enemy."

Hiei crossed his arms in defiance and protested, "She is an ally."

The chief growled again, angered by Hiei's defense over the woman. He was already too close to her. This could not happen. The repercussions would be catastrophic. "You are no longer permitted to see the girl."

Eyes filled with rage and disbelief. "Why?" he demanded, the respect he had for the chief slowly beginning to crack.

"Because," the chief began, "she _is_ the enemy, and she is only meant to be used as a weapon. I tasked you with making her our greatest weapon, and yet you fall for her instead? Use your head. The two of you were never meant to fall for each other. I will not have it. From this day forth, I don't want to see either of you near each other. If she comes to you, you are to walk away, understand?"

"Or what?" Hiei snapped bitterly. How dare his master forbid him from seeing the woman, after all he had done?

"You don't want to find out."

The dark way his master had declared that had struck a chord inside Hiei. Something was off in the man's behavior, and, for a moment, Hiei believed in his threat. He silenced himself, nodding once though protesting in his mind. Cameron dismissed him from his chambers, and Hiei was left to wonder over what had just occurred between him and his master. The moment he was denied in seeing Botan and was threatened, Hiei had felt a burning hatred for the man, and that was not something he expected to feel.

Something was very wrong.

* * *

Though Hiei had agreed to stay away from Botan, he knew that the task was impossible. The two had experienced so much together in such a short time. He had seen her transform from this wretched, broken creature into a strong and determined woman. She had wormed her way into his core, got underneath his skin the way no other being ever could. His mind went back to when she kissed him, how she had made him feel like he was more than the curse he was deemed to be. She was the only one who could see beneath, and her simple confession continued to consume him. He could not just abandon her, not now, and not without a word.

Being a trained thief, Hiei managed to sneak around the stronghold and infiltrate Botan's room while everyone else was either in the mess hall or training. He had left the woman a note to meet him at the stream. So there he was, standing and waiting, arms crossed. He wondered when Botan would find the note, if she had already, or if she'd come looking for him. After waiting for a while, he noticed her form approaching him, the blue hair a dead giveaway. A smirk graced his features, and he approached her.

Botan was holding the note in her hands, puzzlement clear. She looked to the parchment and then to Hiei, her amethyst eyes questioning him. "There is something I have to tell you," he stated, breaking the silence.

The severity of his tone made Botan feel nervous. She had been going over the previous night in her mind, wondering if Hiei had been angry over her actions and confession. When she hadn't seen him at the training grounds, or anywhere for that matter, she had assumed she chased him away. She feared his anger, and then she reached her room and that fear had left her. His note had given her hope, but she still hadn't known what to expect. She hoped he wasn't angry with her. "What is it?" she asked, her voice soft.

He decided to start with the truth. "I cannot train you anymore," Hiei told her, Botan's expression falling. He added, "I wish to court you, instead."

The other apparition wasn't certain she heard correctly, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. "W-What?"

"I wish to court you," Hiei repeated. He could see that he had caught the woman off-guard and smirked. "And that is why I can no longer train you."

"I see," Botan replied calmly, though inside she was raging. What had he actually said? Was he serious? This wasn't a joke? At first, she had been sad to hear the fire demon say he wouldn't train her, but to follow it up with this? But, when she looked into the demon's eyes, she could only see honesty. A cheerful grin made its way to her face. "You're serious."

"I am," Hiei replied, nodding. Botan actually seemed thrilled over his proposition. "But we cannot tell anyone, especially no one in the stronghold."

"Not that I'm complaining," Botan murmured, "but why not?"

Hiei came up with a believable lie. "Members of the army cannot be together," he explained. "This is why we must keep it a secret."

Thankfully, Botan didn't ask any questions and agreed. She simply felt giddy that Hiei had asked to court her. She did not mind the secrecy, anyway. There really wasn't anyone she'd want to tell. She had no family or friends aside from Hiei. This was enough for her.

And, thus, their whirlwind romance began.

* * *

The stream had become their getaway, much further down to be as far away from stronghold as possible. When neither were training, they would meet, hunt, and spar, and, following that cycle, would end up making out passionately on the grass beneath them. As they began to spend more time together, neither were all that shy in their courtship. Hiei found Botan's presence to be soothing to him, and Botan finally felt like she wasn't alone. They were beginning to become inseparable, and that had led to Hiei's aggravation with the chief for having wanted to deny him this feeling.

On one particular afternoon, Hiei's hands were exploring Botan's form, the fire demon feeling her curves and removing her garments. Botan smiled into the kiss, not stopping him. Her own hands were exploring her lover's body. The two were lost in their own world until something stopped Hiei, the feeling of water on his bare back. He quickly sat up, looking around him, Botan dazed and confused as he removed himself her. Her eyes travelled above them, her eyes taking note of the water whips around them. Botan yelped and sat up, the water reacting to her panic and cascading to the ground. Botan was breathing heavily, looking to Hiei alarmed. Had they just been attacked by the water tribe?

The woman was panicking, looking around for an attacker before she launched herself at Hiei and gently stroked his face. "A-Are you okay?" she questioned, frightened. "Come on. We need to tell someone that the water tribe-"

Hiei's face fell, and his chin dipped down in shame. It had been easy to forget that Botan was of the water tribe, and it had been against his orders to inform her of her origins. Still, now that they were together, Hiei thought this to be too cruel. He couldn't do this to the woman anymore. She deserved to know, and so he took her hand and interrupted her. "It's all right," he assured her, trying to calm her down. "No one attacked us."

In saying that, Botan was able to put two and two together, and she looked to Hiei looking both hurt and fearful. "Me? I'm from…?" Hiei nodded, and so she now understood that he knew, that he had always known. "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

"Botan…" Hiei whispered uncomfortably. He so rarely used her name, so she already knew she wouldn't like his answer. "I'm going to tell you the truth, but you need to listen. Don't run away."

"I won't," Botan promised. "What…what is the truth?"

Crimson eyes landed on hers conveying so much remorse. "Chief Cameron knew. We all did. When I found you, I recognized your clothes, the colors of our enemy." Hiei raised his right arm and took her right arm in his. "We both are marked. These dragons are living entities. I had mastered the Dragon of the Darkness Flame when I was merely a boy. You had mastered the Dragon of the Living Water. In short, you were the water clan's biggest asset. We had no idea on whether you accepted the trial on your own or if it was forced upon you. Either way, Chief Cameron refused to allow you to fall back into the hands of the enemy.

"After some time, he pulled you in for training and told me I was make you our greatest weapon," Hiei explained, his voice apologetic. "I never saw you as a weapon, Botan. Honestly, with us both connected to these elemental dragons, I saw training you as more of training my own rival. I wanted you to be a worthy opponent. All the while, I knew my master wanted to use you."

Listening to his story, Botan had gotten a flash of memory, a memory where she was being forced into and under the water, begging to be freed. She gasped and curled into herself, leaning closer to Hiei who caught her in his arms. The woman began to cry against the fire demon's chest, Hiei embracing her and holding her tightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered, startling Hiei. Why was _she_ the one apologizing? The tears continued to stream down her face, droplets falling as she clenched her eyes shut, gripping Hiei's shirt tightly. The fire demon was growing increasingly concerned. He tightened his grip and waited for her to continue. "I'm…sorry…for being from that water clan." Her wails only got worse, and Hiei could only try to quiet her down. "I'll…you don't have to see me anymore. I'll leave. I'll never come back. You won't have to see-"

Hiei silenced her with his lips, kissing her with so much passion while wiping her tears away. When they parted, Botan's purple eyes lingered on his. "Why?" she asked him, stunned.

The fire demon smirked and retorted. "Because you're my friend," he told her, voice soft, "and I love you."

Those were the words she had said to him weeks before, the night before all of this had started. She remembered them well for they were the words she had spoken to comfort him, to assure him he wasn't a curse, not to her. Now, he was telling her that she wasn't his enemy. He had voiced those exact words before the two had gotten caught up in their emotions. This time, they didn't stop, even when Botan's water surrounded them. In fact, the water from the stream had refreshed them after they had spent all of their energy giving themselves to each other and becoming official mates.

* * *

Hiei knew that, once again, something was wrong. It was rare for Chief Cameron to summon him, calling him away from training. The last time had been over Botan, the chief not wanting Hiei to get too attached to their "weapon." Well, now the chief had no say in the matter. Hiei and Botan were mated. He was prepared to leave with her if need be. He only hoped that his master would be rational.

Of course, he was only assuming that Cameron was suspicious of him and Botan. He didn't know for certain. The teenaged couple had always been far enough away from the stronghold that Hiei doubted the chief knew anything for certain. If it came up, though, Hiei was prepared to stand up for his new mate.

The fire demon barely had the chance. When he walked in, he was already under attack by the chief and on the defensive. His eyes widened in shock as he had to avoid his master, getting knocked down only because he hadn't been expecting such hostility. He looked up at the chief, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "What is the meaning of this?" he dared to ask.

Chief Cameron was beyond angry. Hiei had defied him again, the chief catching the two dragon masters in the act the previous day. He had thought he could hide, but Cameron hadn't trusted the former thief to evade the woman. No, he defied his order, actively pursued her and asked to court her. That would have been fine. He would have been content to leave them be if they hadn't taken another step. This, he could not allow. The two dragon wielders could not be together.

Soon, though, everything would be made right.

"Bring her in."

Hiei flinched when he heard the command. Who? He couldn't have meant…

Oh, but he did. Immediately, two large guards brought Botan in, holding her by her arms as she struggled to break free. She was wearing the burnt flower wreath around her next. Hiei's eyes narrowed. He didn't like this.

Her frightened eyes met Hiei's, and thankfully she didn't look betrayed. Instead, she was pleading. "Hiei, help," she begged to him. She trusted him. He planned on getting her out of this. There was no way they were staying here, not after this.

"You have two choices, Hiei," Chief Cameron spoke up, and the dragon master growled at the bastard. No longer was he his master, not when he was acting this way towards him and his mate…and for what reason? "Either you kill Botan now yourself," the chief spoke darkly before smirking, "or you are to watch her be beheaded right where she stands."

Botan's fear spiked. Why was the chief who had always been so nice to her threatening to kill her? Hiei may have told her the truth, but Cameron still wanted to use her as a weapon… It didn't make sense…

Hiei was livid. He never did like being given ultimatums by anyone let alone a man he once admired. Energy from the black dragon sored through him. He could feel the beast itching to protect its mate. He snarled at the chief, quickly unsheathing his sword. "What about the third option?" he yelled as he swiftly moved to attack the captain. Dark flames shot from his body and disintegrated both guards. His master stumbled back in shock. He was going to end him.

"Hiei!" Botan called out, alarmed.

"Get out of here," he shouted back, never looking. "Run and get away from the village. I'll catch up. I promise."

Botan listened. She still had no idea what was happening, why the chief had wanted her dead or why he wanted Hiei to take her life. He had always treated them both well. It was strange that he would shift so suddenly.

Meanwhile, she made it to the stream, far down and away from the village. She was still wearing the wreath around her neck and gently pulled it off, regarding it. Her mate was still back there. She should have stayed and fought with him, but he wanted her away from there. He wanted her safe.

A glowing light caught her attention. This light was floating midair by the stream, and Botan's curiosity got the better of her. She went to the light, moved to touch it, but that had not been wise. The light reacted and widened, and Botan then realized her mistake. She had accidentally touched a portal, and now she had been sucked in. She had no idea where in Demon World it would take her. She called out as she fell into the abyss.

She landed, after what felt like an hour, on an unfamiliar mountainside. The sky looked different, full of vibrant colors like pink, orange, and blue. It was not the same kind hue of red and purple, nor did the air smell the same. It was cleaner, fresher, and not full of death. It was actually kind of peaceful. Where was she?

Botan prayed Hiei would be able to find her. Portals did not pop up often in Demon World. Her only hope was that he would not have been too far away before she had gotten transported. She had faith that he would find her, though, just like he promised.

There was a large temple not far from the edge of the mountain, and Botan felt immense relief. Someone there would surely help her and be able to tell her where she was. The water demon quickly ran towards the temple, hoping to find help for herself and for Hiei.

When she got closer to the temple, she instantly hit a barrier, and she cried out in pain, red energy surrounding her and zapping her. The hot electricity caused such immense agony that her mind went blank and her body went numb. She landed on the ground inside the barrier, her eyes closed shut as if she were sleeping. Before her eyes had closed, she had seen many women staring at her strangely, some young and some old, all wearing the same training robes. Blurriness and then darkness followed.

An older woman walked over to the blue-haired demon that had entered their sacred temple, and she bent down to brush her air from her face. The creature looked so helpless and young, even though she was clearly a monster. The woman's eyes went to the purple mark on her arm. She had never seen anything like it.

"Sensei Aya?"

"Asuko," the woman replied, "inform our medic that this girl is in need of medical treatment."

"But…"

"Do it," the sensei replied.

The girl stood tall and alert. "Yes, sensei. Right away."

* * *

A groan escaped Botan's lips as her eyes opened. Her head was killing her, and she was…

Nothing…

Frantically, the being she was, Botan, began to shake. She couldn't remember anything but a name, her name. She had the fleeting sense that there was more, but everything was shrouded in darkness. For a moment, she didn't even believe she existed at all. Who was she? Where was she? How did she get there? All were questions she could not form answers to. "Oh, good, you're awake." Botan jumped and looked to the woman, tears in her eyes do to the stress, the fear, and the panic. "May I ask your name?"

"W-Who are you?" Botan asked the woman. "Where am I? And…what…who?" _Who am I?_

The older woman was not surprised that this girl had no memory, not after she had been caught in the barrier. Well, there was no point in dwelling on it. She kept her voice kind and understanding. "My name," the woman replied, "is Sensei Aya. And you are at my temple. Here, I run a school for young, female psychics. You will be a student here from now on."

"O-Oh," Botan murmured in a daze. She was so confused, she didn't know what to think. It hurt to. "Ow," she groaned, pressing her hand against her forehead. "My head."

"Yes, it seems you have lost your memory," Aya remarked. "And for that I am sorry."

"It's not your fault," Botan whimpered, not noticing the flicker of guilt flash over the sensei's face. "I do remember one thing, though. My name." _At least I think it's my name…_

The dark-haired woman smiled, her brown eyes softening. "Oh, good. And what may I call you?"

"Botan. My name is Botan."

* * *

 **A/N: So…don't hate me for the first of many twists in the story ^^' Originally, the story I had written with this concept had involved an OC with memory loss. I actually have the old summary. Look!**

 _ **Kiyaki has grown up with no memories of who she is or where she is from. Instead her powers make everyone fear her except for a certain fire demon who has chosen her to be his rival because of their common abilities. Hiei X OC**_

 **Now, that story got canned a long time ago. I worked on it back in 2012, and I loved some of my ideas from it, and I think you will too, except they'll now be adapted to fit this story. Anyway, won't bore you with the details. Time to work on the next chapter so I can have it ready for you by next week!**


	7. The Search

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Sorry I'm a little late with this week's update. It's been a little hectic on my end, but I just remembered it was time to update and I had this lying in wait. I hope you enjoy!**

 **~Chapter 7 – The Search~**

* * *

Hiei had defeated the fire clan leader, and now he just felt numb. He had told the man that he had once taught him honor, what it was, and how to behave. The dragon master realized now, and said as much, that it was all just a lie and fancy words. After what he had learned that day, Hiei understood why the chief's cousin did not want the truce.

Chief Cameron had started the war by killing the woman his cousin had mated.

Apparently, the conflict started over this woman, a woman who had chosen the water chief, and the fire chief had ended her life in his rage. Hiei shook his head. He was going to do the same to his own mate that day, and that is why he had left the injured chief and fled the village. He would never return to the clan, not after this. He and Botan could start their life together elsewhere.

He reached the stream only stopping when he saw the floral wreath he had gifted the woman. His core jolted. The woman was not there. He jumped down to the ground from a tree, searching the area. Out of his normal countenance, he felt panic. _Where is she…?_ he wondered, glancing around. He knew she had to be there somewhere. _Maybe she travelled deeper into the forest…_

And at that moment, he started his search for his mate, a search that would last quite a long time.

* * *

Months had passed, and Hiei had not seen Botan. The fire demon knew his mate was alive, though. He could somehow feel her presence, ever since they two of them mated near the stream. Knowing she was alive was enough for him for now. He knew that she was okay, though he did not know how to find her. Something strange must have separated them.

Out of nowhere, Hiei was attacked by some random demons, who were clearly after his stone. Hiei growled. This was not on his to do list for the day, yet he had so much anger and rage inside of him because of his former master and missing mate. He decided in that moment to fall back into his old habits. Hiei slayed both demons without a second thought, and it had been strangely therapeutic.

Of course, he would continue his search. There had to be a way to track down his mate. A thought occurred to him. She probably wouldn't have condoned him killing two weakling demons when he could have easily knocked them out. He shrugged. _Oh well… It's not like she's here._

* * *

Meanwhile, in another realm, Botan had settled into her life at the all-girls psychic school. She still had no recollection of who she was before she ended up there, but she had made a couple of friends. Other girls, though, they hated her and reviled her. Botan was an outcast not only because of her strange, exotic looks, but also because her ability, this strange ability to control water that she had experienced by accident, was seen as witchcraft by her peers. The purple dragon mark that wound around her arm did little to quell those rumors. The constant ridicule bothered her as did the fact that most instructors kept their distance from her. The only friends she had were Izumi, a young orphan girl who had been raised in the dojo, and a woman named Kiyaki who had graduated six months earlier and left the school to start her own journey, never to be seen again.

Izumi was the only one who cared enough to spend time with Botan. She was small and slight with dark hair and green eyes. It was because of her eye color that the girl was also judged. Almost all of the women at the school had dark hair and brown eyes. Anything different was practically shunned. Both Botan and Izumi were constantly reminded that they were both outsiders. This school was not their home.

"What are you doing, Bo?"

The voice of her friend Izumi alerted Botan, but the blue-haired woman only murmured, "Meditating." It was something she taught herself to do to relax and stay calm. Being tormented daily by the other women was a challenge she had difficulty enduring. It made her harden herself and feel nothing but anger. This at least helped some of the peace return to her. It was her only out from the world around her.

"Will you train me some more?" Botan opened her eyes to see Izumi staring directly at her, pleading with her pouty eyes.

Botan sighed and decided to be done with meditating for the day. Training was for Izumi as what meditating was for her. This was Izumi's only escape. The young girl had already had a rough life having been found years before wandering alone with no family. She had been abandoned by her parent, as was assumed, but had no abilities to be trained. She could never fit in without an ability. Botan always rolled her eyes at the irony. Her own ability was the reason she could not fit in.

"If I must," Botan said in good humor. "Alright, what did we go over yesterday?"

Izumi's face lit up. She sat down in front of her sensei with a child-like joy. "You taught me to focus the little energy I have into my fists so that I can have some energy behind the force of the hit."

Botan nodded. She needed to be sure the Izumi was paying attention to each lesson. The young girl was constantly picked on by girls who had really powerful energy in their attacks. The energy could be seen in their weapons or surrounding their hands. The teachers called it "spiritual energy" and it had put Izumi in the infirmary too often for Botan's liking. She felt that it was her job to protect her only friend from their common bullies.

"Right, so to start off today," Botan started to say as she held out her hand, "I want you to use that energy and direct you punch into my hand. I want to see how strong it is."

Izumi stood up confidently and nodded. She put all of her energy into her fist as she pulled her arm back. As she pushed it through the air towards Botan's hand, Botan could feel sparks of energy in the air. Izumi's fist made contact with her hand; Botan smirked at the sensation. Despite not having spirit energy, this girl would be able to cause a lot of damage to the newer students. She would be a worthy opponent to the older crowd in no time.

"That was a decent hit," Botan said coolly making Izumi smile. "You'll need to keep practicing and eventually you'll probably get enough strength to break a tree. But now, I need to teach you to defend yourself from abilities. Those bullies won't play fair. Unfortunately to teach you, I'm going to have to attack you with my own abilities."

"That's okay," Izumi said with a smile. "Your ability is very pretty."

Botan knew that Izumi loved watching her practice with her abilities. She could summon spheres of water at will, as well as shooting the water at people. It may not have sounded like much, but there was so much spirit energy behind her ability that she could really do a lot of damage, another reason that she was feared.

She and Izumi walked to a clearing and bowed to each other before putting a great deal of distance between them. "I'm going to shoot water spheres at you. I want you to work on dodging them while standing in the same spot. Try not to get hit. I'm weakening the energy I put behind it, but it may still hurt you."

"It's okay, Bo," Izumi called. "I can handle it." Botan smirked as she created her multitude of water spheres.

* * *

The training session went well, although at the beginning Izumi got hit a lot. The young girl did not give up and eventually started to find a rhythm. Of course, the joys of their training session were interrupted by three older girls. They were the favored students of the dojo. Asuka was a tall girl with long, wavy, black hair and brown eyes. Her ability was controlling the wind with her energy. Chika was supposedly her cousin. She had the same colored hair, although it was short and framed her head, and her eyes were more black than brown. She had the ability to grow plants, meaning if there were budded flowers, she could open them. The last girl, Honoka, was the shortest of the three. Her hair was black, though it had touches of dark brown. Her eyes were light brown, matching her skin color. Her ability was to hypnotize others with the harmonious sound of her voice.

"Look, girls," Asuka taunted, "it's the rejects. I guess we shouldn't be surprised to see them training together. These orphans have no one else."

Botan clenched her fists. She didn't know anything about her parents as she had no memory of her past. That wasn't to say that she didn't have any out there; she just couldn't remember. Something about the way the girl always spoke to her felt fairly reminiscent, as if she had experienced this kind of agitation before. She wished she could remember. Then she could leave and take Izumi with her. They didn't belong at this school.

"We have each other," Izumi spoke up, glaring at the girls. They were teenagers, close to graduating from the prison they felt they were in. One day, they could come back to be instructors, but only if they couldn't find a place for themselves in the world. Botan planned on finding a better place so that she would never have to return to the hellhole.

"Aw, how cute," Chika teased. "Well, that's great for you two, but I prefer to be surrounded by my loved ones."

"Well, they must not want to be around you since they sent you here," Botan retorted. She looked over to Izumi apologetically because of how she came to be there, but they were used to being taunted this way so often. Besides, they knew that neither of them were ever trying to insult each other.

"Yeah, well…" Honoka said while trying to think of a comeback line. She then smirked sadistically. "At least I'm not a witch."

Before the other two girls could laugh, Honoka was on the ground, Botan staring down at her. "I…am…NOT…a…witch," Botan growled slowly and dangerously.

"Of course you are," Asuka stated. "That's why you can't remember anything. Sensei Aya created a barrier. Those of dark magic are said to lose their memories as they touch it, so that explains what happened to you. You're lucky she was kind enough to let you live."

"I was hurt!" Botan snarled. "And how dare you? I know I'm not a witch. If I were, I would not have control of water."

"That's exactly what a witch would say," Chika hypothesized. "She would give excuses to try and trick us into letting our guard down. Well, we won't fall for it Witch Bowan."

"Hey, I like that name," Asuka said placing her finger to her chin. "Witch Wanny."

"Worthless Witch Wanny," Honoka suggested.

"Hey, that's not nice," Izumi said in her friend's defense. "Bo isn't a witch, or she would be evil. She's really nice and helps me with training."

"Whatever," the girls responded waving the two off. They looked to each other and laughed at their joke, chanting the words "Worthless Witch Wanny" as they entered the dojo.

Izumi looked to Botan with worry shining in her green eyes. "Bo, are you okay?" she asked gently.

"I'm fine, Izumi," the woman said unconvincingly. "It's nothing I haven't heard before, although the nickname is new."

"They don't know what they're talking about!" Izumi exclaimed. "They don't know you like I do!"

"Let it go, Izumi," Botan told her sternly as she sat down in her meditating position again. She peeked one eye out and said, "I wouldn't want you to become known as the outsider who hangs out with the 'witch.'"

Izumi frowned at her friend, but she decided to leave her alone. "I'll be in our room, Bo. Don't stay out here too long. You'll miss dinner."

Botan grunted an affirmative response, which Izumi took as her agreement. She was the only one who took the time to understand Botan's quirks.

Once alone, Botan released the breath she had been holding, tired of saving face. She couldn't lie to herself. The words the girls had uttered hurt more than she cared to admit. And what did Asuko mean about the shield. She had been there six months and yet that was the first she had ever heard about it. Was there truth to what Asuko said or was it just more hateful words to get a rise out of her. Botan wanted to ask, yet at the same time she feared the answer.

A frown marred her features. "I am _not_ a witch," she bit out before a lone tear escaped her. She wished she had never come to this awful place.

* * *

Another year had passed, and Hiei had completely returned to the demon he was before, relishing in the kill. For a while, he had forgotten about Botan completely, actively pushing her to the back of his mind. He could hear her voice each time he took a life trying to persuade him not to make the kill, not to lose himself. Hiei wanted to lose himself. It was better for him at the moment, helped him alleviate the rage he felt. Damn it, he wished he had killed that bastard Cameron.

Lately, he found himself looking at his mother's tear more often, the energy from the gem soothing him. It was as if he could feel the woman's love in the tear, but he quickly flattened that idea. He did not want to think about love from the two women that were ripped away from him. He didn't want to feel anything. Still, by glancing at the gem more often, his desire to find the glacial village grew stronger. He was still so angry, and he thought it was time to enact their despicable prophecy, to give them what they asked for when the so carelessly dropped him off the side of a mountain on a floating island. They would pay, all except his mother. If she were still alive, Hiei would spare her and then leave and never look back. After all, she wasn't the one who wanted him dead. He would prove himself, to the other maidens, to be the curse _they_ deemed him to be.

A pang struck his heart, but he ignored it. An image of Botan fluttered into his mind. He scoffed and closed his eyes to rid himself of her worried expression. It wasn't like Botan was there to stop him, anyway. He was starting to think that she was nothing but a phantom.

* * *

 **A/N: So for any of you who have been with me since 2012, tell me if you remember Kiyaki? I stopped working on The Water Dragon Rivalry because I couldn't stand her moody character and such and just couldn't bring myself to continue the story, so I scrapped it. I made a shout out to my OC, just so everyone is clear, Kiyaki. Is. Never. Coming. Back. Lol! Never ever! This is Botan's show now ^_^ And she does it much better than Kiyaki ever could!**

 **Okay, I'm done bashing my own OC, now, but seriously, if you remember that story, please tell me, if not by review then by PM. I would be amazed if you did remember XD Five years back O.O**


	8. The Revelation

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **So, I'm a little late this week ^^' Anyway, before I head out to work, I had to. So I hope you enjoy! This story is building up quite nicely :D**

 **~Chapter 8 – The Revelation~**

* * *

Hiei still wandered around Demon World alone, never stopping. He had only recently considered locating the glacial world to destroy its residents. He had been trying to ascertain information as to the location of a portal that could bring him to the floating island, yet he had no luck at all. It angered him.

One day, after a particularly cruddy heist, he was walking on his way, and a random demon pursuer, a larger, taller demon, attacked him to, once again, take his mother's gem. Hiei grinned, drawing his katana and launching himself into battle. The sheer pleasure it brought him was enough to erase his dissatisfaction of the day.

Of course, he had underestimated the demon, found him to be stronger than he thought. The creature looked weak and thoughtless, but he knew how to use his powers, his rank only slightly less than Hiei's current strength level. The black dragon twitched, but Hiei was determined to defeat the pursuer on his own and ignored the beast. The two clashed blades, and even the other demon's sword was larger. He had backed Hiei into a corner, or more specifically the edge of the cliff. Hiei's foot nearly slipped, earth crumbling beneath him. It gave the other demon an opening to attack. Hiei made the attempt to avoid a fatal blow. He had been an idiot. Not using his demon energy had been the wrong call for his attacker had managed to do the unthinkable.

The demon cut his mother's hiruiseki loose, and the gem fell into the ravine below.

Blind rage.

Hiei nearly fell, but he wielded his katana in a way to push himself back up the mountain, and attacked the unsuspecting demon who was still looking at his lost prize in dismay. He cut through the demon, blood splattering all around him before he turned to face the ravine. He glowered down at the gorge below, all full of trees. It was a wide expanse, and there was no way Hiei would be able to search for the gem, a needle in a haystack. Hiei sneered, his growl rumbling in his chest. He hadn't realized until that moment how important the hirui stone was to him. He had to do whatever it took to find it. Now, he had three things for which to search. Immediately, he went to the nearest village. He would find the information he needed.

At the last village, he had learned of something called the Jagan eye. Some demons possessed natural Jagans, but there was a surgeon who would pluck the eyes from weaker vessels and implant them into stronger demons. Hiei had heard about the abilities of the Jagan in his travels, what it could do, and he knew he would need that implant if he were to now find his hiruiseki, the ice world, and Botan. He needed to have the surgery, and time was of the essence.

Someone was going to tell him where he could find the surgeon. If they didn't, he would simply kill them. They were of no use unless they had the information he needed.

* * *

It had been a long year for Botan since the day her bullies came up with that degrading name. Everyone, save the instructors, had taken to calling her any rendition of Witch Wanny. It was incredibly infuriating to Botan, her anger rising and hardening her further. She had even been there long enough to know that there was an actual barrier surrounding the area around the school, protecting the women by injuring and wiping the memories of any apparition that entered the perimeter. It left Botan feeling uncertain as to who she was. Maybe "witch" was a kinder way of saying what she was. Was it possible that she was a demon? No, that was impossible. She shook her head clear of those thoughts. She would have had to remember that at least, right?

Still, her mind kept asking and repeating the same questions. Was it possible that the barrier stole her memory? Was she a witch like everyone implied? Was she an apparition? Why was she there? How did she get there? Did she have a life before? What was the purple mark on her arm? Did she have any loved ones? Did they remember her? Just who and what was she?

Izumi continued to defend Botan to everyone, no one caring to listen to the young girl. Botan, on the other hand, refused to let the other girls, especially Asuko, see her falter. She would often meditated far away, under this one particular tree. It was a tree where ivory flowers grew, and it reminded her of somewhere peaceful, a place she could only see in her dreams that would elude her whenever she awoke.

The meditating helped Botan a little bit, but she was still so frustrated. If only she could get her memories back, she knew she could prove she wasn't a witch. She had to have been in some accident or something that caused her to lose her memories. That shield couldn't have done anything, she determined.

And why did they have to consider her a witch anyway? Everyone there had strange powers, so why was her water abilities singled out. Was it just because of the apparition shield and her unusual coloring that everyone called her a witch? At this thought, she opened her eyes. If she touched the shield again, she could prove that she wasn't a witch, but the only problem with that was that the shield was outside the dojo.

It was then she made a decision. Botan was going to find a way to break out of the school. She knew she would be punished for going outside the outer wall, but if she could prove she wasn't a witch, it would be worth it. She had to take this chance.

Botan waited for Izumi to fall asleep. They hadn't spoken a word since Botan returned to their room, even at dinner where everyone else was their usually chatty selves. When they returned to their room, Botan, like Izumi, put on her white pajamas and slipped into bed. She waited until she heard Izumi's snores before she got up and changed into her black training suit and soft slipper shoes. She did not want to get caught before she made it out to the shield.

The woman sneakily ran through the hallways, careful not to make a sound as she made it to the door of the dojo. She jumped over the three wooden steps and landed gracefully on the grass. She stood up from her crouched position and slowly walked to the one thing that could get her outside the outer wall.

She looked up at the tall oak tree she loved to climb, although this time she would be using it as a tool instead of a resting place. She climbed it quickly and crawled to the edge of its largest branch. Looking down, she could see the ground outside the outer walls. Her face lit up at how close she was to having proof.

Botan jumped down from the tree using whips of water to slow her fall down. When she touched the ground she felt lighter as it was the first time she was outside the dojo since the day she was found. The shield was still ever present. Botan walked over to it and held her hand out to touch it. She flinched before she could and withdrew her hand. She never believed she was a witch, but what if the shield did make her forget everything, including Izumi. Well, she was sure she would always become friends again if that did happen. Botan shook her head to snap herself out of it. She knew she shouldn't let the other girls get to her. Finally, she placed her hand on the shield only to be met with what felt like a memory. She retracted her hand as she saw visions of a stream and white flowers. She felt the presence of another and jumped, backing away from the shield. Her teacher, Sensei Aya, was standing there.

"It doesn't work from the inside," she heard a voice say. She turned to see Sensei Aya standing across from her. "You wanted to see if it would steal your memories again, correct?"

"It didn't steal my memories," Botan growled in frustration, though recent inklings told her otherwise. Why wouldn't anyone believe she wasn't a witch?

"Even if you are a child of darkness, Botan," Sensei Aya started, "it does not mean you are or were a bad person. We do not choose our blood, but you should be wary around this shield nonetheless. You could always see something that would best be kept from your memory. Now please, come back inside."

"No," Botan replied with defiance. For some reason, "child of darkness" felt like a terrible insult. She couldn't stand being called these horrible names. "I will not go back in with you if everyone continues to call me a witch."

"But Izumi needs you," Sensei Aya pointed out. Botan's eyes widened in panic when Aya made that remark. "Don't think I don't know that you have been helping her. Like I said, the shield may have taken your memories, but it can never take your personality. You may be a child of darkness, but you have a very good heart. Isn't that knowledge enough?"

Botan frowned and looked down to the shadows on the grass. She looked back up to Sensei Aya and walked over to her. Aya smiled and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. She walked her back into the dojo and brought her back into her room. Botan just crawled into bed as Aya closed the door. She looked outside her window and saw the moon shining down on her.

"I'm not a witch," Botan whispered to herself, "and one day, I will prove it."

* * *

His body was in sheer agony. He had never felt pain such as this.

It had taken a few months, but Hiei had finally managed to track down the demon surgeon who specialized in Jagan implants. The demon, Shigure, was a proud doctor, and at first he had practically told Hiei to run along. He was a child, and the surgery alone would drain him of all his strength and energy. It was not a procedure for the faint of heart, and Shigure would not give him what he wanted if he didn't have the proof to survive. He even had the nerve to call Hiei a scrawny, little groundling and dared to say he wasn't cut out for suffering. His whole life had been nothing but. This Shigure added insult to injury when he turned his back on the fire demon and told him to "run along home," but Hiei would not have it.

Hiei had driven his loyal katana through his own hand, gasping out in pain causing the doctor to observe him. The fire demon cringed only for a moment before he forced the grimace of pain off of his features. "I'm sure that I can handle it," he spoke smoothly, only a small groan escaping his lips as he pulled his sword out from his hand. He had capture Shigure's attention. Still, he was not out of the woods yet.

"Alright, you've proven your tolerance for pain, but there is one more condition. I will only agree to operate on those who have lived a life that holds my interest. I'm not about to waste my talents on some insufferable bore, so you better have a decent story to tell.

"So?" the surgeon challenged. "Let's hear it."

"Hn," Hiei grunted sardonically. "You may regret this after I'm finished." He glowered at the demon. "In fact just thinking of it makes me sick to my stomach." Now he really had Shigure's attention.

As much as Hiei hated discussing is past, the only way to reach his future was through getting the Jagan implant. He knew he needed to keep the man's interest to get it, so he told him everything. Hiei told him about the ice village that cast him out to die, his mother's protests, the lost hiruiseki stone, and even about his time with the thieves and after. He told Shigure how he lived among the fire clan, the story of the chiefs, how he had mastered the Dragon of Darkness Flame and mated with the woman who mastered the Dragon of the Living Water. He even recounted the day he had lost the woman because of the chief's vile ultimatum. He had lived alone in Demon World ever since, constantly searching and feeling his mate, yet coming up empty at every turn. Shigure had been fascinated by the story with sickening curiosity and interest. Of course, he had pointed out to Hiei how possible it was for him to have a sister. Hiei remembered his mother, but he did not remember a sister, but he would not have been surprised.

The surgery had been grueling, and even Shigure's warnings hadn't prepared Hiei. He had been cocky, bolted down to the table. The surgeon said it was so that Hiei wouldn't tear out his own eyes. Hiei wasn't that weak. The man also told him he'd scream, which Hiei replied he wouldn't make a sound. Even the eerie statement, "Everyone screams. The only difference is what you say."

Hiei had not kept his word, he screamed in agony for the procedure's entirety. The Jagan had been implanted, flashes going through his mind, one of a little girl he had never seen, him crying out her supposed name, Yukina. It felt familiar as it left his lips. Then he saw other flashes, memories, he figured. They all had to be memories. He could see Botan, and cried out her name before he felt all his energy leave him and passed out from the pain. He had never before experienced the level of flesh-searing pain that was inflicted on him that day. He didn't think he'd ever feel anything near as painful again during his lifetime.

It had to have been days, though it felt like longer to Hiei when he awoke. His body was heavy like lead, and his energy level was pathetically low, his raw power gone. Even the Dragon of Darkness Flame had abandoned him. It was probably for the best in his current condition. With his level of demon energy, the dragon would probably incinerate him if used. He would master it again one day, he knew. He was the only one who could. Once he accomplished his tasks, he would train until he was back at the level he started, and he would find his dragon comrade again. It was bittersweet, but if this was the price of finding all he desired, he didn't care.

Finally, after reflection, he forced himself up, ignoring the pain in all his muscles. There was no time to waste. He gathered his belongings and made his way out of Shigure's hut. The surgeon was tossing around a circular sword that came back to the demon after it made a solid hit. The fire demon's interest was piqued. "And what do you call that monstrosity?"

Shigure was only too happy to tell him. "It's a phosphorus ring sword made from the bones of the wild oxen that roam through the forests of Demon World." His curiosity sated, Hiei began to walk away out into the forest. The surgeon was taken aback. "What are you doing?"

Hiei froze and only turned his head slightly to look behind him. "I have what I came for, and now I'm leaving," he stated matter-of-factly.

"The Jagan operation has drained you of almost all of your demon energy," the other demon's voice boomed. "If you attempt to brave the woods now you will most certainly be killed."

Hiei stayed silent for a moment before informing him, "That's not your concern." He turned away and continued towards the woods.

Shigure watched, and he knew what he must do. Listening to Hiei's story made him realize something about the demon. The boy did not have many friends or demons that he respected. Few had earned and broken his trust, and he needed a mentor and he also wanted to get stronger. "If you stay, I'll let you learn my sword technique," he offered.

The fire demon took a few more steps before he stopped and faced Shigure again, his face distrustful and skeptical. Petulant as ever, he demanded to know, "Why should I?"

Satisfied that he had successfully enticed the boy, Shigure smirked and gave Hiei the reason he should stay. "If I just had a Jagan implanted, I would want to survive long enough to use it."

The wind picked up around them as if it had sensed the intensity between the two. Hiei was torn. It had not been long since his last master had betrayed him, and he was not looking for a new one. This stranger could not be trusted. Sure, he had told his story, but out of necessity and not trust. He sould have left and never looked back.

And yet the idea of learning a new technique appealed to him, especially since he was in his current state. Thought weakened, Hiei was certain that Shigure would not kill him. He had bestowed upon him the Jagan, and he was clearly very particular. He wouldn't let his talent and the Jagan's power be wasted. If nothing else, that was the only reason he could trust the surgeon and swordsman. Besides, deep down, he knew he was right. He'd be killed in his current condition, a night alone would have been his end. He had waited this long, so a bit more time would hurt. At the very least, he could steal Shigure's fighting technique.


	9. The Payment

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **So, my weekly updating didn't pan out. My system kind of fell through, but here's another chapter for you. Sorry about that. But the weekly update is kind of going through a rough patch. September was not the best writing month. XD**

 **~Chapter 9 – The Payment~**

* * *

Two years had come and gone, the seasons ever changing, and Botan was finally ready to graduate from the school. She had continued to train hard to master her abilities. Likewise, she still trained Izumi and others still kept their distance, instead tormenting her with more ridiculous names. As she got older, the names got worse, more recently "witch bitch" had been the favorite. It angered Botan that no one would shut them up. She wanted so badly to use her powers against them, but she knew that if she did that everyone would die. How she came to that conclusion, she didn't know. It was just a feeling that she had had for the last few years…that she was stronger than she remembered or thought possible.

And now the young girl was about nineteen years old and getting ready for her "graduation." She hated the idea of leaving Izumi behind, but she needed to leave, not just because she needed to get away from the taunting, but she would be forced to leave by the instructors. They would most likely tell her never to return. Botan couldn't care less about the rules, though. She would request that Izumi travel with her, and, if Sensei Aya denied her request to take Izumi with her, she would find a way back into the school and break the thirteen year old out of that prison.

Botan felt someone hug her from behind. At first she tensed, but she knew it was the young girl she had come to see as her sister. She awkwardly returned the hug by placing her arms on Izumi's.

"Hey, Zu," Botan greeted softly. "What's up?"

"I don't want you to leave," Izumi replied with a sniffle.

The blue-haired woman turned to face her little sister. She smiled to the younger girl and said, "Don't worry, Izumi. I'm going to request that Sensei Aya let you come with me."

Izumi gasped, but then smiled. "B-but will they really let me leave? I haven't graduated. I don't even have an ability for them to evaluate."

"All the more reason for them to let the two 'outsiders' leave together," Botan pointed out. "Now let's go. I wouldn't want to be late for my graduation out of this place."

"Right!" Izumi chimed as she followed her older sister to the outside courtyard.

* * *

Hiei was breathing heavily after a very vigorous training session with Shigure. The demon doctor really knew his techniques, and he gave Hiei a run for his money on many occasions. The young fire demon was learning a lot from the surgeon. He was nowhere near as strong as he was in the past, but he had jumped up on strength considerably and learned to utilize the Jagan in his fighting. He knew he needed to continue to build up his strength, but with Shigure's techniques and his speed, he would be fine. He knew he would get stronger through experiencing Demon World first hand. It was during the break from their session that he realized there were no reasons left to stay. He needed to push forward. He needed to find everything he was looking for.

While the two sat in silence, the larger demon polishing his enormous blade, Hiei expressed his desire to leave. Shizure merely looked at the fire demon, a look of displeasure crossing over his features. Still, he answered with a shrug, his voice booming. "That is fine. I have no doubt you will be able to withstand everything in that forest. There is just the matter of payment." Hiei's aura flared up in irritation. The surgeon never mentioned anything about that. He was very well aware that Hiei had hardly any money to squander. "And no, it is not monetary."

"Then what?" Hiei bit out tightly. He was starting to distrust this demon.

Shigure chuckled and shook his head. He could practically feel the ire exuding from Hiei laced thick with the desire to kill. "We already discussed your background and the possibility that you have a sibling."

Eyes narrowed, full of boredom. "Your point?"

"If you do find the village and learn you have a sister, you can never tell her or your mother who you are. Accept that command as payment, and I will consider that your payment." Though the thought of being held a constraint left Hiei feeling mildly aggravated, he readily accepted. After all, he planned to destroy the glacial world. He would spare any of his own kin, but he highly doubted that the women would want anything to do with an imiko. They didn't need to know who he was. They would probably figure it out all their own, but they wouldn't be able to accept a monster in their family. Besides, he'd find Botan soon after. His mate was all he needed.

He had seen Botan once he had learned to use the Jagan. She was safe in another realm, hence the reason he could not find her anywhere he looked in Demon World. With both great irritation and great fondness, he couldn't help but thing that the idiot had probably slipped into a portal when she escaped. He couldn't help but chuckle at his out thoughts. Knowing she was safe brought him comfort. Once he finished his intended business in this realm, he would go to find her. Of course, he couldn't find the hiruiseki for whatever reason, but he _would_ find the glacial world and burn his final bridges to the demon realm. Then he would go to his mate wherever she was.

At often times, Hiei would find himself watching his mate from afar, the woman safe and training, and she was still so damn kind and beautiful. He craved being with her, by her side, again. That is why it took little prompting for him to set out, walking out into the dangerous forest and slaying any creature that came his way. He would get back to Botan, and nothing was going to stop him.

* * *

There were a lot of people, more than Botan remembered to be graduating that year. She wondered why everyone was gathered there. Only a few people would normally come to watch the ceremony. She knew, because she had never been forced to go to one. Why would so many individuals come to one ceremony?

"Hey look," she heard one of the girls say, "it's the witch bitch." It was followed by a ton of snickers from other girls and cries of protest from Izumi, but still the instructors let the berating continue. Some others were bring back that wretched name that started it all, "Worthless Witch Wanny." Why would Botan expect anything different on her graduation day? Clenching her fists, she moved to the front of the courtyard with the other four girls who would be leaving with her.

Botan did her best to ignore the stares she felt from the other four. She tuned out the majority of the ceremony, even the speech Sensei Aya gave about "using powers responsibly" once she finally arrived. Botan mentally rolled her eyes. Aya didn't even know what her abilities were, so who was she to tell her what to do with them?

After everyone's name had been announced, the five graduates were being taken to the outer barrier. Botan felt off, even scared. There was something out there, and even her concern regarding the barrier and past words couldn't keep her from making a suggestion to her teacher.

"Sensei," Botan whispered. Aya looked to her with the utmost curiosity. "I…I think we better keep the barrier up."

"Whatever for, Botan?" Aya asked.

"I don't know," the woman replied. "I just have a terrible feeling."

Aya's brow rose. She knew that, if Botan was sensing something bad, the girls would have to be ready. She stopped the group and turned to face them. "Now girls," Aya started, "the road you will take is a challenge. Never let your guard down in battle or in life. One wrong step could cost you your life. I hope to see you all again one day."

Botan's eyes widened. _That_ was their teacher's warning about what dangers laid beyond the barrier? That was pathetic! "Sensei," she growled in frustration.

Aya just smiled sadly hoping the girls could handle themselves. "I'm taking down the barrier."

"Why? Because you don't want the witch to lose her memories again?" one of the other graduates joked.

Botan's fists clenched again. She was about to retort when Izumi stood up to the girls for her.

"Maybe she didn't want you witches to lose YOUR memories," Izumi snapped.

"Oh look, it's the talentless freak," another girl teased. "I shouldn't be surprised. You follow the witch around like a lost puppy. Maybe she took your ability and now you just serve her, is that it?"

"Don't say that!" Izumi exclaimed. "Bo is the only one who's been nice to me. She's my sister."

"Izumi," Botan said in shock. She knew that was how both her and the younger girl felt, but she hadn't expected her to declare it in front of so many people.

Sensei Aya was taken aback. She had only heard of the verbal assaults on Botan from other instructors. She hadn't even heard the few whispers as Botan walked to the front of the courtyard. Hearing how vicious the other girls were bothered her, not just because it was wrong, but because Botan could have been emotionally affected by their hateful words. The guilt she felt from the first day Botan arrived flared up again. It was her barrier that had caused such a caring woman to lose the memories of her life.

"That is enough, girls!" Aya snapped. "This behavior is below all of you. I will not have my students mocking one another. You are grown women, so act like it."

"Sorry, Sensei," the other girls muttered, displeased at being admonished on their graduation day.

"Now," Aya said, "I'm taking the barrier down now, and you girls will be free to leave."

"Wait!" Botan called out.

"Yes, Botan?" Aya responded.

"I would like to request that Izumi come with me," Botan stated. There was a strong silence among the group as they waited for an answer.

"It is against our rules," Aya started carefully as she saw the two girls frown, "but this was also a highly unusual situation. I will allow it."

Botan and Izumi looked to each other before smiling. It made Botan feel so much better that she wouldn't be leaving the young girl behind to be ridiculed for her lack of powers. The other girls scoffed in derision. Of course the witch would get special treatment. The girls mentally believed that Botan was controlling Aya for that brief moment.

Aya turned back to the barrier and extended her hand. The barrier disappeared and she turned back to the girls. "You may go and make a life for yourselves out in the world." The four girls ran out happily, laughing at their newfound freedom. Izumi walked ahead a little bit, looking around at the thick woods. Botan was about to go join her, but Aya held her back. She looked up to the school owner in confusion.

"I know we tell the girls we want to see them back here, but it might be in your best interest to stay away," Aya told her. "I will tell you one thing. I do not believe you are a witch, but you are something." Botan's eyes widened before they narrowed. "When I found you outside of the barrier you couldn't even remember your name. I knew my barrier erased your memories. It was probably for the best. I believe things happen for a reason. This is also the reason I am telling you not to return. I will not drop the barrier again. If you ever returned, I have no doubt that you would lose the memories you have made for yourself here. It is just a friendly warning."

"Fine," Botan grumbled. "I won't come back. I wouldn't want to set foot in that hell again, anyway."

Sensei Aya's eyes widened as her expression saddened. "I see," she whispered once the young woman was out of earshot. "I will miss you, Botan."

* * *

Botan and Izumi had been travelling for a couple hours, the older woman looking behind her shoulder every so often. She still had this terrible feeling that she and her sister were being watched, but yet nothing attacked them. She was completely at the ready in case it did happen. Once night fell, though, they decided to set up camp somewhere in the middle of the woods. Botan managed to find and forage a bunch of edible plants and fruits to make them a light meal. After they let the fire die down, Botan helped Izumi into a tree, their shelter for the night, high up to avoid any attackers, and the two of them looked up to the sky.

"So, where are we going to go, Bo?" Izumi asked.

The woman sighed. "I don't know, Zu," she whispered, "but anywhere is better than that school."

Izumi smiled. "Yeah, I agree." The two sighed in contentment and continued to look at the stars. "We've never got to do this before."

"No, not really," Botan agreed. Stargazing really hadn't been anything she could ever do. Between the curfew they were given and Botan's animosity to the hell around her, she never admired the scenery or felt any kind of peace. Meditating managed to keep her calm, but that peace was always short-lived. This, this was different. A reluctant yawn escaped her, and it made her realize just how late it was. "Anyway, we should get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I can feel it."

"Night Bo," Izumi said cuddling closer to her older sister and protector.

Botan looked down at the young girl and smiled. "Night, Zu," she whispered before letting herself drift off to sleep. Before she closed her eyes, she though she saw the outline of something, but she knew it was impossible since the large form disappeared into the shadows. She was more tired than she realized. It didn't matter. They were safe in the tree, able to sleep peacefully that night.

If that were true, though, then Botan would have been able to fall into a deep sleep. For the rest of the night, she was semi-conscious, prepared for battle in case anything attacked her and her adopted sister. She was determined to keep Izumi protected at any cost. It was the least she could do for the one who had not treated her like some kind of horrible monster. Izumi was the only family Botan could ever hope to have.

And she would do anything for her loved ones.


	10. The Life Water

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **~Chapter 10 – The Life Water~**

* * *

There it was, the land that was the bane of his existence. He had traversed Demon World to get to this point, his journey taking mere days with the use of the Jagan, and he had faced many trials and life-or-death battles along the way. None of that compare to seeing the place of his birth and his banishment. Hiei glowered at his surroundings, his cloak and scarf covering his face. He had finally found the portal to the glacial world, and he knew there would be no turning back. On this day, they would finally succumb to the curse they placed upon him. He intended not to leave any survivors save his own kin. Other than that, the rest would all suffer. They would know true fear.

Upon entering the accursed ice land, Hiei could not help but observe the place and its sparse populace of women. He had barely remembered what this world had looked like before his banishment. The women all looked to him, a stranger to their land, with such fear. They were a gloomy, timid race. Their society was devoid of life and emotion. It was as if ice was pumping through their veins instead of blood. The maidens moved just like phantoms in an isolated world, their spirits frozen and incapable of love. His impulse to kill them faded. They were nothing. They were already dead. A weight settled in Hiei's stomach. He didn't have to lift a finger to end their precious society for they ended it themselves. He would get no satisfaction in ending the women lives, and he resolved that his purpose had been met.

Still, accepting this would not bring him closure. Destroying the witches who had cast him out was not the only reason he had come. No, part of his visit was to find his mother. When he overheard a woman bidding farewell to the village elder, he found his path. _Rui…_ Hiei thought to himself, gazing down upon the woman with the appearance of indifference. _The ice apparition who threw me into the great forest of the Demon World._

When the elder left, Hiei made his appearance known, and Rui looked to him fearfully, backing away from his form. Hiei remained as calm as even, his hands behind his back. "Don't be afraid," he commanded forcefully. "I won't hurt you. I'm looking for a woman I used to know named Hina."

Rui remained quiet for a moment, but she soon led Hiei to his mother's grave. Hiei had learned that his mother had committed suicide, unable to bear the pain of losing her son, years after his exile. It left him feeling solemn, his anger slightly rising to think that the woman had been driven to this. Hatred for the society returned, but he had already reasoned that he would not destroy them.

Rui's next works snapped Hiei out of his rage. "Hina also had a younger daughter that she named Yukina, and she was the most beautiful and gentle baby than any of us in the glacial village had ever seen. A few years ago, she suddenly disappeared without so much as a word, and none of us have ever heard from her since."

So, Shigure was correct in assume that he had a twin sister. Hiei did not know what to make of the declaration. He was not surprised, but it was strange to think he had a sister out there, one who like their mother left her culture. Hiei may not have known the girl's reasoning, but maybe she had noticed that her people were dead inside, too. He could only guess unless he would meet her. Even if he did, she would never know, both because of Shigure's price and because of Hiei's own will.

With his questions answered, Hiei walked away from the grave suddenly, startling Rui. His steps were constant and consistent as the maiden watched him with curiosity before her eyes widened with realization. This was the imiko she had cast away, he had returned to the village, and now he was leaving. Rui was so swept up with emotion in that moment. This man, he was the baby boy she had once held. The reason her friend had ended her life. It was all too much for the woman to bear.

She chased after him. "Wait a minute," Rui called out. "Hina was your mother, wasn't she? You're the one, aren't you?" Hiei did not answer nor did he stop walking. He refused to look back, even as the woman fell. "I am so sorry for what I've done to you." He could hear the woman's sobs, but it did little to move him to his core. He did not care for nor need her apologies.

The glacial village had served its purpose, and now Hiei would continue on. He now had a new goal on top of finding his mate. He would find his sister as well and ensure her safety, and that was all he would ever do for his twin. Once away from the coldness of that world, Hiei used the Jagan to check on both of the women. He learned that Yukina was also in Human World, and he couldn't help but wonder how she had gotten there. She seemed to be safe which had strangely satisfied Hiei. Now, he just needed to get to Botan.

He found his mate living in village in the same world, and though something felt different about her, he knew that she was the same woman he had fallen for. The fire demon promised himself that he would get to her. The only trouble was finding a portal to Human World and reaching it with enough time before they disappeared. They fluctuated so much that even the Jagan could not pinpoint one. He wouldn't give up, though. He would just have to bide his time.

* * *

The morning following Botan's graduation, the two girls woke up and climbed down the tree before continuing their journey down the mountain. They knew they needed to keep moving if they wanted to get anywhere. Botan hoped it wouldn't take too long. The dark energy she continued to feel kept following them down and made her feel on edge. They had to find a town at some point, no matter how long it took. They couldn't be too completely ostracized from the world, right?

Botan watched Izumi playfully run around, her arms crossed, as they descended the mountain that had been there home for the last few years. Though she smiled and felt a bit at ease in the girl's presence, she kept her guard up in case they would be attacked. The sinister aura that had been surrounding them had seemed to vanish, but Botan refused to trust that they were in the clear. She still felt like something was going to go wrong, but she couldn't explain what it was or why she was feeling the way she was.

The two had been travelling for a couple of days, spending nights up in the trees. "Look, Bo, a town," Izumi said snapping Botan out of her guarded trance. Botan smirked when she saw the town, a small mountain village that would surely be a welcoming environment for them to stay for a while. If not, they would just have to continue on their journey. Still, Botan had the strangest sense that they'd be welcome. _Strange._

The two girls entered the town and were met with a variety of different people. No one paid them much mind until they ran into a village elder. "Hello, children," the man said lightheartedly. "What brings you two to our village?"

"Well," Botan responded a bit curtly. "My sister and I just left our home and we were hoping to find a place to stay for a while."

The man chuckled and said, "You have come to the right place, young ladies. We don't have many visitors here. We always enjoy helping the weary traveler. And you came just in time, too. Tonight we are celebrating the founding of our humble village."

"Yay, a party!" Izumi chimed happily. Botan was not as enthused, but secretly a part of her felt a twinge of happiness and excitement.

"Let me show you where you girls can set up for the night," the man said.

Botan nodded in agreement and took Izumi's hand so that they wouldn't be separated through the crowds. She couldn't believe that things had fallen into place so quickly for them. After the years of verbal torment and girls trying to pick fights with her and Izumi, they could finally start a new life, and there was no way that Botan was going to waste that chance.

* * *

It had been days since Botan had graduated and left the school, and she and Izumi had come across this village. The celebration had been just what they needed, being introduced to all the people who lived there. Everyone treated the girls like they were family, like they belonged among them. It was a strange feeling. Botan had never felt that way before, ever. Part of her wondered whether or not her past memories would have told a different story, but she preferred not to dwell on it.

The people offered them a place to stay, a very welcoming and loving family taking them in while the girls began their new lives. Botan knew this would be their best bet, a way to start over for them both. They would never again experience the torment like that of the school.

As a part of the culture, the villagers practiced the sharing of resources, wealth, and work. Each villager had a purpose, even newcomers such as Botan and Izumi. It was so much more peaceful than the life they once knew. They did not mind becoming a part of the society and fulfilling assigned chores and duties. Botan took to the job of gathering water. With her abilities, she could manipulate the water, the buckets seeming lighter and easier to carry, and it took half the time it took the other villagers to gather. It made her feel useful, that was for sure, and though only days had passed, the woman felt like she had been there for much longer.

Botan heard a rustle in the trees, one day, as she continued to gather water, and she looked around, never fully getting over her paranoia of someone watching her. She shrugged it off, though, as she continued with her duties. Looking at the water, she smiled. Water was always so pure and pristine, and she had the powers to manipulate it. She used that as another reason for why she was not a witch.

"Water is rarely pure," an old woman said coming out from behind a rock.

"Huh?" Botan murmured in shock. She turned in alarm and noticed a stranger she had not met the previous day during the festival. Maybe she had decided to stay in, but that didn't explain how she was able to pick up on Botan's unspoken thoughts. "Wh-What are you..?"

The woman chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, dear. It's just my ability. I was like you girls once, you know. I came from that school."

"You did?" Botan asked incredulously. It surprised her that anyone knew of the academy. Curiosity overrode her surprise. "Why did you stay here?"

The woman chuckled again. "Well, I spent some time here when I first set out. I have two abilities, child, mind reading and the ability to see spirits. As I had left, I had come across this village. Many spirits were hanging around, looking to tell things to their families and set things right or give final messages. After all of that, the people just became like my family, and so I stayed. I was orphaned too."

"I never said I was…" Botan started before realizing. "Read my mind?"

"What else? And of course, I am aware you were not simply orphaned, but lost," the woman replied kindly. Botan just gaped at the visage. "But like I said at first, water is rarely pure."

"What do you mean?" the girl questioned.

The old woman bent down and filled one of the buckets. "You see, pure water doesn't exist. There is life in the water, as well as nutrients and other things that sustain said life. Pure water could never do something like that, dear. Your water ability may not be pure, but I'm sure you will find a way for it to benefit everyone. You can act as the life sustaining water."

Botan smiled warmly, thankful for the woman's sympathetic words. It was the first time someone had known of her abilities without judging whatever background she must have had. Anyway, she was pretty sure that she had already found her calling. If one from her old school could establish herself there, then she should be able to as well, right? When she turned back to the woman to ask more questions, there was no one there. All Botan could hear was the rustling of trees. It was as if the woman had not even been there, except for the filled bucket. Botan shrugged and continued on filling buckets, hanging them from her stick to carry back into the village. She was sure she'd meet the old woman there.

* * *

Months had passed, and the girls became well-established in the village. It had been five years since Botan had woken up at the school with no memories, but now that didn't matter. What was important was that Botan and Izumi had come to see the mountain village as their true home, and the people had respected them and treasured them. Botan was seen in a positive light being able to bring much water for the citizens. They were all very thankful for her and Izumi, the latter helping in the square, playing with the young children daily while their parents completed their own business.

Botan usually assisted in any way she could, mostly collecting water, but also aiding the sick who could not do simple things for themselves. She would prepare meals, skinning the spoils of the hunt, to make hearty meals for her elders to keep up their strength. Sometimes, she would also help with physical labor. All she wanted was to help her new family.

The wind blew, and Botan wiped her brow, returning to her chore of gathering water. She had loaded the buckets, balancing the pole on her upper back. She returned to the village square and poured the water into the community well before looking around with a pleased smile, an expression she wore more often contrasting her stoic façade. The village was buzzing with activity, parents with children and friends looking around all the shops. It was peaceful, ordinary, and mundane, and Botan could not be happier.

Then, out of nowhere, something shifted, the hairs on Botan's next standing straight up. The girl looked around, though it felt like she was having an out of body experience. Everything still appeared tranquil, but Botan felt as if she had been taken from the moment, all of the sounds echoing in her head as her own breathing and a strange beating deafened her. Something was wrong.

"Child, are you well?"

Botan's eyes met the old woman's she had met by the well months ago, surprised to see her, and she swallowed nervously. Shaking it off, she answered with a nod, quietly whispering, "I'm fine. I just need to find my sister." The concern never left the other woman's face.

The water user made her way to the square, finding Izumi with the children. A smile flashed across her features, and relief flooded her body. Izumi was just so innocent and naïve despite where they had come from. Come to think of it, Botan could argue that she, herself, was naïve, but that was to be expected all the two girls had known was that all-girls school for psychics.

She walked over to the group she was with and watched as they played some kind of board game. Then, out of nowhere, she sensed something again, this time her expression darkened. It felt like the energy that had been following her around, but this time there was intent. It felt dark, strong…evil.

"Botan, are you all right?" Izumi asked.

Then all sound seemed to stop before Botan could answer and reptilian tail crashed into one of the homes. Screams echoed as the building collapsed, though thankfully no one had been caught under it. There was still enough leverage in the building to keep it from falling.

"Everyone move," one of the men said.

Everyone in a panic started rushing towards the center of the square, only for a handful of people to be scooped up by a monster. Botan and Izumi had looked to the creature shoving its hand into its mouth, both girls horror-stricken over the sight. The creature merely laughed and continued to demolish the homes of the village.

"A demon," Botan heard before turning to see the speaker. It was the same woman from earlier and she looked terrified.

It occurred to Botan that if the woman knew what it was, she might know how to handle the situation. "How do we stop it?" Botan questioned her. The woman just looked over to her with sad eyes, as if knowing something the blue-haired girl did not.

"Bo, who are you talking to?" Izumi called out to her.

Botan froze, her expression reflecting her shock. Didn't Izumi see the ole woman? Amethyst eyes widened as she remembered the woman telling her about the ability to see ghosts and spirits. Botan wondered if she was experiencing that same phenomenon. Another crash and screams pulled her out of her daze. She didn't have time for this. She needed to fight.

Focusing back in the task at hand, Botan turned to Izumi. "Go and hide," she ordered. The younger girl was about to argue. She didn't want to leave Botan alone. The blue-haired teenager offered her sister an assurance. "I'll be fine, Zu. Just hide."

Reluctantly, Izumi nodded in agreement as Botan went to face off against the creature. She had never seen anything like this monstrous beast. Its tail was that of a lizard, but it did not appear to be reptilian. Actually, it wasn't anything at all but a black void of a lifeform. Eyes shone green and red, but they just looked like spots of color in the darkness. Botan readied herself for combat, looking to the buckets she had dropped. She was about to attack her enemy, energy surrounding her body, but then the demon zeroed in on her and tried to attack her. Botan dodged, and the demon's path changed to follow. It was as if her energy was a homing beacon for the monster. Guilt trickled into Botan's heart. All these months this presence had been hanging around, and it was all because of her. She shouldn't have stayed…

Distracted by her thoughts, another strike was made by the wicked monster, and Botan managed to narrowly dodge is tail. Streams of water collided with the creature as Botan pushed her hand forward. Thankfully, the whips of water had connected, the demon screeching in pain and rage. Its tail lashed out at her again, but this time her energy flared out of her. It had taken her by surprise. Botan knew for a fact that she had never done anything like that during her lifetime.

Caught off-guard, Botan tripped back and fell to the ground, the downed monster about to fall on top of her. Unbeknownst to the woman, someone noticed her dilemma. Izumi gasped and ran as fast as she could to help her blue-haired friend. Botan was still trying to regain her senses when she felt the wind being knocked out of her, Izumi pushing her out of the way of the falling creature. The woman looked behind, and her eyes widened in horror and despair. Izumi, her best friend and little sister, had just been crushed underneath the monster who had been trying to kill her. "No!" she cried out, her mind and energy screaming with her. She was about to run over, but the monster was on its feet instantly, roaring at her. But Botan hardly took notice. Her gaze was on the lifeless form of the only person that mattered to her. She nearly broke right then and there, but she couldn't yet. Izumi was gone, but there were still innocents who would get caught in the crossfire. She needed to get the monster away from the village.

She looked back to take a mental picture of her once peaceful home, remembering the fearful expressions of the people she had considered as family. Now, there was nothing for her there. Her one purpose had been taken away from her. Her only goal now was to kill this demon that attacked the village and took her best friend away. She turned to run, knowing the angered creature would follow her away from the village.

As Botan ran, she could hear the grunts of the creature behind her. While she was running, she felt another presence, one that felt both familiar and foreign and the same time. She felt a rush of her own energy wash over her. The new presence didn't feel nearly as terrible as the monster chasing her, but to her in that moment, anything she could sense was bad. Whatever it was, she needed to find a way to handle it in addition to this terrible demon.

Her attention elsewhere, Botan ended up tripping over the roots of the forest trees. _Why me?_ she mentally whined, knowing that was the last thing she needed. It gave the demon enough time to catch up to her. She was met with the void's gaze. The monster released a sound that resembled a chuckle, and big, thick lips appeared on the void. It licked its lips, Botan cringing at the disturbing, disgusting, slurping sound it made. Her body trembled when she was hit with the creature's warm saliva. She couldn't watch, instead clenching her eyes shut tight. This was the end for her. At least, if nothing else, she would be joining Izumi soon. She surrendered to the hopelessness.

 _Get up and fight!_

She heard a voice in her mind, surprisingly that of man. Botan's eyes snapped open, glossed over as she contemplated the words. What was she doing? This was completely unlike her. She refused to go down without a fight.

As the demon's tongue lashed out at her, Botan screamed out, the energy forced from her body turning the water in a nearby stream to ice. Shards launched at the creature, piercing its skin. It roared again, but it was not finished. A clawed hand formed and slammed into the woman, and she was propelled through many trees, getting cut up and scraped by everything, and bleeding out through the claw marks. Her vision blurred, and, as her red blood poured through her clothes, she knew that this was really the end of her line.

Her head turned to glance at her assailant only to see something she wasn't expecting. As the light began to fade from her eyes, she watched as a dark figure sliced the monster to shreds, hardly leaving anything left as pieces were disintegrated. Her eyes narrowed in confusion if her trying to figure out what had actually unfolded before her. She tried to call out to the figure, to breathe, and then she realized that the last thing she had crashed through was a large rock, and she could hardly move. The sharp stone had pierced through her leg. A bitter chuckle escaped. And for a moment she just thought she had the claw marks to deal with.

Botan gasped as the figure turned to her, his face growing dark as he flashed out of sight and appeared before her. It was a man, she observed through heavy-lidded eyes. He appeared to be so young, but his blood-red eyes held so much wisdom, as if he had seen the worst of the worst. This dark-haired teen…he saved her. A smile graced her features as she silently blessed her savior. Even if she didn't make it, this man deserved to live on. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice and energy fading. Surprisingly, he had reached out and brought her into his arms, pulling her broken and bleeding body to his. His hand gently caressed her cheek. Her breath hitched.

"Woman," he spoke, his voice deep but cracking as he spoke to her. It was likely that he could feel her life leaving her body. There was nothing he could do to prevent this. Still, he ordered her, "Botan, just save your strength. I promise, I'll get you to safety."

Botan's lavender-hued eyes widened before they watered. "I…" she breathed out. How did this man know her? "I don't understand. Who are you?"

She could see his stoic expression fall as he eyed her in shock, searching her eyes for something. Hiei was actually searching for signs of recognition, but he found nothing. He tried to hide his disappointment, but Botan saw it flicker through his eyes. "How?" he spoke. "How did you lose your memory again?"

The man sounded so lost, but his words stood out to Botan. Again? She had lost her memories more than once? Did her savior know her? He said her name…he had to. Ignoring her pain, she needed to tell him. She gasped, trying to take in enough air to speak before her time ran off. "T-There was a barri-" she started to explain before she gagged on her own blood and her body wracked with pained pants. "T-There…I…"

Botan never could finish her sentence as she breathed her last breath, her lifeless eyes open as Hiei's body shook with rage. It had been five years, five long years since Hiei had seen his mate in the flesh. Everything happened so quickly from the moment a portal appeared beside him, bringing him to the human realm. He had sensed his mate's energy being used and realized that she was in battle. He sprang into action, rushing to find her. It was a blur, but all Hiei had known was he had gotten to his woman too late, and now she was gone, and he was alone, desolate, empty.

Gently, he lied the woman's body down and moved to close her eyes. A rustling sound called his attention, and he sprang into action to defend. Surprisingly, he saw many human's staring at him strangely having witnessed his emotional display. He flashed out of sight, leaving behind Botan's broken body. His mate was gone.

* * *

Eyes blinked open, taking in the surroundings of bright-colored walls, and Botan sat up, very confused as to where she was and how she got there. She looked down to find herself in a pink kimono with long sleeves that fell as she raised her arms to study them. She blinked at her hands and her now bare, pale white arms. Looking around, she studied her environment. She doesn't know this place or remember anything at all. She doesn't even remember her own name.

A floating baby entered the room, his form regal as he greeted her. "Hello, Botan. It's good to see you're awake."

"Botan?" she repeated, the word sounding foreign on her tongue. "What's that?"

The baby remained stoic, but she could see sadness in his eyes. "That's your name. You suffered a tragic death protecting your home and you friend, your life cut short by a demon. Because of that sacrifice, you were reborn as a ferry girl as recompense."

"So I was alive?" Botan asked, her brow furrowing as she could recall nothing. "Why can't I remember my life? And who are you, anyway?"

"I am Koenma," the baby answered, "the prince of Spirit World. As for your memories, it is protocol here. With all ferry girls, memories of their mortal lives are erased so that they aren't tormented by them and the memories of their death. But I can promise you, Botan, that you will be safe and protected here, and what happened to you, the manner in which you died…it will not happen again."

Botan's eyes softened. According to this prince, she must have had a horrible time, but he did tell her she protected her home and friend. Koenma was giving her another chance to do something that not many others would be granted. She owed it to him to give it a shot.

When Botan said nothing, Koenma sighed and headed to the door. "Rest up, Botan. When you're ready, you will begin your ferry girl training."


	11. The Snow

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **~Chapter 11 – The Snow~**

* * *

The first snow had fallen near the village. Hiei had remained there near the place that had become his mate's home for some time. After the woman had passed on, he could not bring himself to go. He was still torn up over the death despite the months that had passed. Many thoughts, inklings of weakness, flashed in his mind. What if a portal had arisen earlier? What if he could have saved her? Would she remember him? Would he want her to after all he had done since their separation? Hiei growled at those thoughts and shook them away. The one thing Hiei continued to berate himself over was how he hadn't been able to get to the woman in time. It was his fault that his mate had been killed.

In the woods a bit away from the spot that had been Botan's grave, Hiei had held himself up in a tree. This snow that fell had come out of nowhere, but it only happened in the forest, that one spot where Hiei found himself. He decided to go out and investigate.

As he did, he came across a young girl, and he had already known who she was for the Jagan had shown him images of her many times. This was his sister, Yukina. His crimson eyes, similar to hers, widened in surprise. He kept himself hidden among the trees. She was young, he observed, and surprisingly a bit shorter than he was. A laugh escaped the maiden as she played with the woodland creatures. He noted that she was happy, and he wondered what she was doing in Human World. Moments later, she sent birds away, and they flew towards his direction. Hiei managed to conceal himself so that his twin could not find him. He was still in awe that he had found her in the most random place he could ever think.

Seeing her settled something in Hiei's core. Though he had lost his mate, he at least knew his sister was safe. His mourning needed to come to an end. He had to return to the only home he knew, Demon World. There, he would watch Yukina from afar with use of the Jagan. There was nothing left for him in Human World, and he mentally scoffed over the fact that he had wasted so much time lamenting over his lost lover. At least her soul was at rest. Maybe he would meet her again one day in the other world. That is, if he even would care to see her by that point.

For now, it was time to move on.

* * *

It had been months since Botan had awoken in Spirit World, and in that time she had been learning her new duties as a ferry girl. Though she didn't remember her life, she was grateful to Prince Koenma for giving her a second chance at living. No, she wasn't alive per se, but she had a job to do, and she loved this way of life.

Botan's cheerful attitude seemed to bring life to the monochrome norm the ferry girl's had adopted. Even if her memories were gone, Koenma could never erase her bubbly and friendly nature, the nature she originally had according to her records before she had suffered memory loss multiple times. This was the free-spirited girl she was meant to be, but of course Botan held no knowledge of this. It was one of the reasons Koenma had decided to bring her onboard his team. This woman had had so much to give, but tragic circumstances stopped her at every turn. Part of the prince felt responsible for how she died as well, mainly because the demon who had ended her had been one of Spirit World's escaped criminals.

There was no use dwelling on the past. Botan was most genial of ferry girls, and she brought joy to those around her. The other conveys of death had actually become brighter and more effective at empathizing with the ghosts in need of transport. Training hadn't taken long when Botan was a natural at her job, handling every new task well, especially bringing in the spirits with the most troublesome of attitudes. She never seemed to be affected by their grumpiness understanding that most of those angry ghosts were not ready for death to hit them.

Of course, she did carry around her trusty guidebook and recorded notes on how to handle all types of personalities. Some of it was from experience or from her senior ferry girls. Other notes were just her own thoughts on how she should handle a certain behavior. Botan really took her job seriously, and she performed her duties perfectly.

Which is why Koenma came to favor her over the others.

Though Botan was respectful of Koenma's position of power, the two had become good friends during her stay. Whenever he tried to shirk from his responsibilities, she called him out on it, and he was always looking out for her as well. This day, in particular, he called her to his office. She had expected it. Every month since she had been reborn, he would bring her into his office to ask her questions on how she was faring. It was no different when he asked her about her progress in her position. Botan excitedly told him about all of the spirits she had helped.

Koenma was proud of Botan and happy that, for someone who lost her life so tragically, she had adapted so well. He knew from experience, particularly before Botan had joined them, that some ferry girls never got over the bitterness of death. The ones who did were still not thrilled to handle the deaths of others. But Botan had a certain life to her and was the first to brighten everyone's outlook, including some of the newer ferry girls Koenma had salvaged both before and after Botan's arrival. Her positivity was refreshing in a world full of death, and even Koenma's most serious ferrier, Ayame, had lost the remainder of her rough edges and became a mother-figure rather than a simple mentor to the majority of the girls.

During the meeting, Ayame had joined them to alert Botan to her next assignment. An untimely death had occurred at a fighting temple in the mountainous region of Japan. Koenma's wary eyes met Ayame's stoic gaze. He had specifically asked the woman, confiding in her the complexity of sending Botan there. Ayame had not agreed with his decision to keep Botan from her past roots. She was the best suited for this journey, and she had no memory of that life, so it didn't seem to matter in the chief ferry girl's mind.

Botan, as per usual, accepted her assignment with grace. Not even an hour later, she journeyed to this temple to ferry the lost soul to a new and better life. She had reached the temple, a school of women. Botan paused for a moment in the air, looking down to see young women outside learning to fight, all synchronistic in their movements, learning new kata. The ferry girl smiled fondly at the women.

"Botan?"

With that, Botan tensed, and she glanced over to see the ghost she had come to ferry. She looked down to her notes. The woman's name was Aya, Sensei Aya. She was one of the school's most beloved and trusted advisors. Her record was clean. Everyone loved her and would most likely be devastated when they found her. She had peacefully gone in her sleep. Her sheet said that, though this woman had lived a good life, she had a few wrongs that left her spirit with so much guilt which is probably why she had not come immediately to the spirit realm.

Botan could not believe this kind and virtually pristine woman knew her name. It surprised her to be recognized. There was no way that was possible since she had never been there before in her life…life…had she? No, that was a ridiculous notion. Neither Koenma nor Ayame would have sent her back to a place where she would have lived. She forced a smile, trying to push down the anxiety that bubbled up within her. "I'm sorry," she murmured kindly, "but I don't believe I am the girl you think I am. I'm a simple ferry girl, a 'grim reaper' if you will, and I'm here to bring your spirit to your final resting place. It's all I know." And in actuality, that wasn't a lie.

Aya blinked back, her eyes wide and full of confusion. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was her former student. The sensei had watched her leave over a year ago, and Botan had promised never to return to the place. Aya had often wondered how her student had faired without her memories. She had often hoped that Botan would live a full life and maybe one day discover who she was once again. She never considered that the girl would end up on a spiritual plane so prematurely. It saddened her spirit, but at least Botan appeared bright and happy in her new visage.

The woman smiled genuinely. "I apologize. I must be mistaken. I am feeling a bit disoriented," Aya explained. Her warm eyes met Botan's purple orbs. "You just resemble a former student of mine."

Botan felt a jolt within her. The instructor had called her by name. This woman had to know her somehow, but could Botan have really been her former student? Is that why she was sent there? Wasn't that against protocol?

"Whoever that student was," Botan said, swallowing down emotions she never expected to feel, "she was lucky to have a teacher like you." The two of them then made the journey to Spirit World with no other words spoken between them. Botan asked no questions, afraid of the answers she would get. Besides, it wasn't part of her job to ask those kinds of questions about this former student. Out of nowhere, on their journey back, it started to snow. _Strange,_ Botan thought. _It isn't even close to winter…_

* * *

Hiei had returned to Demon World and had found a new home among the trees. There was no place he wanted to go, nowhere he could go. He was going back to what he knew, and that was how to be a survivor. Already, he had gotten into a few scrapes, narrowly escaping with his life but effectively ending theirs. His new goal was to regain his strength and stamina. He would, one day, reclaim his trusted partner, the Dragon of Darkness Flame. Until then, he'd lie low unless he needed something. He'd put the skills he learned from the bandits to good use.

The fire demon had no desire to return to the village and ever see that bastard of a chief again. It was Cameron's fault that he and Botan had been separated. Hiei regretted not murdering the immoral villain. He hoped that village felt to the water tribe. They deserved justice. Regrettably, after residing in Demon World again for a few weeks, he came across that one person he did not wish to see. Hiei sneered when he saw the fire chief walking down the path of the woods he had chosen as his hideout. Hiei was completely enraged when he appeared and at himself. Apparently thinking of the man had caused him to appear. Seeing him sent Hiei into a fit of rage.

Overcome by blinding fury, Hiei had left the safety of his tree and launched himself into an attack. He had taken Cameron by surprise, his old master alarmed at the sight of him. Unfortunately for Hiei, he was much weaker than he used to be, and his old teacher took notice. He also noticed the lack of Dragon on Hiei's right arm and smirked.

"Hiei, my boy, it's been a long time," the man spoke smoothly, his voice laced thick with amusement. Hiei didn't seem to notice or care. "It saddens me to see how weak you've become. You must have shirked on your training. You know what I used to tell you about that."

"Shut up!" Hiei snapped, attacking the man with his sword. Cameron avoided the blade despite Hiei's speed, only infuriating the young fire demon even more.

Cameron did not heed Hiei's demand. "What happened to cause the Dragon to leave you?" Hiei did not respond. "It is not something that would just decide to leave its host on its own."

Hiei growled in response, pushing back. While he had trained with Shigure, he had found other uses of the Jagan, including a newer and stronger form. It was nowhere near the strength of his former A class status, but he felt it would be enough to end his blasted former master for good.

Chief Cameron immediately recognized the new form, especially when he saw the Jagan on Hiei's forehead. His brows furrowed in anger. He now knew why Hiei had lost so much strength, and training had nothing to do with it. The boy was lucky to still be alive and standing. Why take such a risk for such a useless bauble?

Hiei had undergone his transformation, his skin green and eyes opened all around his body. The aura around the fire demon was dark and sinister. He lifted his head so that heated, narrowed eyes met the disturbed glance of his former master. _Good,_ Hiei thought. _He should be scared._

What Hiei didn't know was that his form had not frightened the chief. Instead, it further incensed the man. "You stupid child!" he scolded. "What possible reason could you have to surrender all of you overwhelming power? You must have known you'd lose all your strength. A Jagan implant isn't a power up. It's useless to you. What possible reason could you have to get that monstrosity?"

The fire demon didn't have to answer. Chief Cameron managed to mentally answer his own question. He scoffed in derision. "You must be joking," he hissed. "Even you couldn't be so foolish. You got that thing to find that little bitch, didn't you?" Hiei's eyes held a glint of anger before it disappeared behind his stoicism. "Was it worth losing all the power you once had? I assume you found that wretched water wielder."

The memory of Botan dying in his arms hit him hard in that moment. Hiei had been forcing himself to think of anything but her since returning to the realm he called home. Any time a fleeting thought arose in him, he'd kill an unsuspecting passerby or hunt for his dinner, the adrenaline rush and thrill of the kill washing his mind clean of that heartache. Cameron just had to bring her into this, and Hiei was overwhelmed by emotion. "You know nothing!" he shouted.

Hiei could feel the fire blazing within him, and that was something he hadn't felt since the Jagan procedure. He decided to take advantage of it, his fire returning to him. He managed to direct it towards Cameron, the chief getting hit by his hot aura. Hiei smirked, but then fell to his knees, drained completely of his energy. That attack had exhausted him, and it had just been one attack! Hiei realized, in that moment, that he would need to get stronger to nurture the growth of his demon power. He accepted and desired it. It was the only way if he ever wanted to get control of his fire again.

His attack may have hit Cameron, but the chief was hardly affected, sending his own blast of fire barreling back towards Hiei. He had no strength to even phase out of the way of that attack. The young fire demon had no choice but to take it, grunting as he was hit and tossed back. Of course it had to be the man he detested to teach him that he shouldn't have given into emotion and released the last bit of energy he had.

Cameron walked up to his weakened body, glaring down at him. Hiei's gaze mirrored the man's. The chief scoffed derisively. "Pathetic," he called him. "Weak. You let a woman get the better of you. You are useless to me now."

"Fuck off," Hiei growled, not giving a damn that his former master wasn't pleased with him. "You will regret every transgression you committed against us."

"Heh," Cameron chuckled, his nose sticking up in the air as he arrogantly said, "I'm not the one on the ground now, am I?"

Crimson eyes narrowed in response, and Hiei could only watch his enemy walk away. His core raged for him to continue the fight and put Cameron in his place, but Hiei was already succumbing to fatigue. His former master looked back at him for a second before his vision blurred. Everything around the fire demon went dark, and he hated the man even more for leaving him there to live with the bitter taste of defeat.

Before Hiei fell into unconsciousness, Chief Cameron left him with one other message, a message that left the fire demon feeling shame.

"I thought it best to inform you, I destroyed the water tribe. That girl of yours is the last survivor. Tell her for me when you find her. That's all you're good for now, errand boy."

Cameron's malicious laughed was the last thing Hiei heard.


	12. The Plan

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **There's a big surprise ahead. I did a lot to do the scene justice, including reading a manga special to make sure I got it right.**

 **~Chapter 12 – The Plan~**

* * *

Seven decades had passed since Hiei had lost his mate and was confronted by the bastard who had separated them. He was now ninety-two, and he had returned to the lifestyle he knew all too well. After finding his sister, he had returned to the only home he knew, living off the land and through thievery. No one could stop or apprehend him. The fire demon was either too quick for them or slaughtered his pursuers. It was truly a test of survival, even more so now that he had lost the majority of his past strength. He would sometimes get himself into hellish battles that he could not handle knowing that he once could handle opponents of that caliber. Those days, he needed to find a cave somewhere and treat his wounds. He was becoming a master at first aid.

Sometimes he'd use the Jagan to check on his sister. Yukina was still frolicking in Human World, safe among the trees, almost like himself. There were hardly any humans up in the mountains where she was, the only ones being so close were those of that village and that was still fairly far from where his sister normally traveled. Thankfully, because of this, he didn't need to check up on her often. Each time he would, she would be playing with the animals or in the snow. He was not needed.

Then, one day, everything changed. Hiei had gotten himself injured in a brutal fight and had to once again treat his wounds. He had gotten cocky and stolen something of value from a strong demon. Of course, Hiei's will had been stronger, and his opponent had underestimated him. He thought the fire demon was worthless and would be weaker upon injury. That landed the demon into an early trip to Spirit World.

Hiei, however, was exhausted and weakened. Though he managed to treat himself, he nearly passed out from the blood loss. He was in a cave near a stream, the stream reminding him so much of his lost lover. He tried not to focus on Botan, but the memories of his past were harder to push away when he was tired and drained of almost all his demon energy.

He decided to check on Yukina, the young ice maiden surprisingly bringing him solace from his chaotic and painful thoughts, though he refused to admit it to himself. When the Jagan opened, Hiei focused on his sister, but his crimson eyes flashed open moments later. He couldn't locate her, just like his mother's crystal. That was impossible. Even if deceased, he should have been able to find anyone, but it only seemed like Yukina didn't even exist. His brows furrowed in anger. Where was his sister?

Despite being exhausted, Hiei immediately fled, searching for a portal to the human realm. He had heard, recently, rumors of a female-hunting demon that had escaped to the wretched world and couldn't help but fear the worst for his sister. He was lucky he had gotten better use of the Jagan to pinpoint those random portals. He could do so very quickly.

Instead of finding himself near the mountain village, Hiei was transported into the middle of a city. Large, gray buildings surrounded him. Random cars passed by. There were few humans among them, and it was pitch-black out. It must have been really late in the evening. The sound of footsteps and a demonic presence alerted the fire demon. He quickly flitted out of sight, lying in wait.

It was then he noticed a young redheaded, green-eyed boy oozing demonic power walking with a young, human girl. Hiei was instantly on alert. This demon certainly wasn't the demon he heard of, not Yatsude. He must have been an underling of his. Red eyes narrowed. This bastard was going to pay if he was the one who had captured Yukina.

What Hiei didn't know was the demon he was looking at was once the legendary Youko Kurama, a highly skilled and violent thief, a fox demon, now trapped in the body of a fourteen-year-old boy under the alias Shuichi Minamino. He had escaped into the human world upon being mortally wounded, and ended up finding a home among those he once hated. He was currently walking a classmate home after she had witnessed a demon accost him. The Hedoki demon had discovered his identity long ago, and though Kurama was weakened he was still much stronger. He had warned the demon away, but he merely threatened the demon trapped in a boy's body. Kurama was warned then that the Hedoki had found a powerful ally. He knew that it was not a lie. A worthless demon like that would not return unless there was merit to his words.

When his classmate, Maya, had found him, he had been mentally arguing with himself. He hadn't wanted to use his powers, but these demons weren't leaving him with a choice. Maya, unaware of Kurama's dilemma, had immediately declared that she had always known he was different and nonchalantly confessed that he was her first love. The demon was baffled by her words. She found it cute and then proceeding to follow him around, asking him questions about himself, what he was. He could not tell her, deflating her excitement. Kurama didn't want to put the girl in danger, and so he couldn't burden her with his truth.

That was when, out of nowhere, Kurama sensed another demon. He panicked, not knowing what was about to happen. He remembered Maya was at his side and knew she was about to get caught in the crossfire. He gently grabbed her arm, alerting her. "Stay close," he ordered.

The attack came out of nowhere, and Kurama managed to grab Maya and jump out of the way. The girl looked frazzled, but Kurama couldn't worry about that. In that moment he was standing face to face with an unknown demon, a young one by demon standards, most likely in his first hundred years given his height, but definitely not a child. He was dressed in black and white, a white bandana over his forehead, and he had black, spiky hair with a hint of white, his blood red eyes filled with anger and hate. The youko demon could not tell if this was the one he was warned about, but if he was then he needed to take this battle away from the city, away from Maya.

"You dodged?" the stranger shouted, irritated that his target had avoided him.

Kurama set Maya down and then called upon his vines, the plants forming a sword. Hiei already had his in hand, and the two began exchanging strikes. "A plant weapon?" Hiei questioned aloud.

"Run!" Kurama shouted to Maya. He needed her to get as far away from them as possible. She was just staring at them, blinking. _I need a change of terrain…_ Kurama thought, running towards the direction of the forest. Surprisingly, the demon who attacked him never took his eyes off of him. He didn't desire to harm the human girl, just him. That, at least, was a positive.

Neither combatant knew that, at that moment, the Hedoki had taken advantage of Maya being left alone. He had captured the girl, amused by his luck, and figured the girl would make a lovely gift for Yatsude. Of course, the reward the Hedoki received for bringing his present was to become part of Yatsude's power. Yatsude consumed the weaker demon without a second thought.

* * *

Once in the forest, Kurama had the advantage, but his demon opponent was much stronger than he gave him credit. The Hedoki must have been talking about this demon. He would have to be careful. This demon was young, but he was strong.

The two were still exchanging blows, their blades clashing together. Hiei could help but be impressed by the sword skills and tenacity of his opponent. "Not bad," he complimented. His opponent looked even more frustrated. Hiei couldn't understand why someone of such caliber was working for someone of lesser ability. "What's a guy like you doing with Yatsude?"

"Yatsude?" his opponent gasped out, shocked. "He's in town?"

Hiei was confused. Wasn't he fighting with Yatsude's lackey? He had seen him with some human girl, most likely planning to gift her to the demon. Still, he couldn't detect a hint of a lie. "…What? You're not with him?"

"I see…" At that, his opponent stopped struggling, his expression calmed as he offered a patient smile. "You can put away your weapon. I just live here."

Kurama was relieved that this demon wasn't the one that the Hedoki mentioned, but he knew Yatsude was probably more powerful than he could handle in his current condition. He noticed then with displeasure that Hiei was wounded from their fight, his blood dripping to the ground.

"I jumped to conclusions too quickly…" Hiei grunted, angry with himself. He didn't have too long to experience that failure as he dropped to the ground, passed out completely.

Kurama looked to the demon he had fought, concerned etched into his features. It wasn't concern for the young demon, though.

 _That monster, Yatsude…_ he thought. _I can't defeat him alone… This is bad…_

* * *

It had been a while, but Botan had become so much better with her duties, so much so that she was granted a promotion. She had become chief ferry girl because of how amiable and dutiful she always seemed to be. She had successfully ferried more souls than some of the other women. Botan had been thankful, but very bashful. Many of the other girls had been there much longer than she had. Some were jealous. A few had been supportive, even Ayame who Botan believed should have been promoted over her.

She, at least, had her friend, Hinageshi. The redheaded ferry girl had been a horribly tragic case. She was a child who died in an accident from what Botan had overheard, but no one mentioned that cause around the child. Botan wondered if it was like that when she wasn't around. Did the other ferry girls know of how she died, too?

Either way, Hinageshi was one of the only ferry girls who treated Botan like she had earned her position, not through favoritism as she was accused. It was no secret that Koenma favored Botan, mainly because she was a good confident to the Spirit World ruler. She knew he was the only one who knew of her entire past, though she never asked. Koenma, though, he had promoted her because he knew Botan's character in the purest form.

Botan had mastered the Dragon of Living Water at such a young age, but she had not made that choice on her own. The trial, according to her file, had been forced upon her. The woman was not a power-hungry demon looking for ways to get stronger and destroy. He knew that she had lived among humans, knowing that she might be an apparition, but died protecting human lives all because a ruthless demon had broken free of his confines in Spirit World. She had lost the dragon once she became a ferry girl. She was now deceased, and the Dragon of Living Water had no host to attach itself. It returned to the deep water where it would remain unbothered until someone tried to wield it. With the water clan gone, Botan being the sole survivor, she would be the only one to take it back, but as a spirit with no memory, she could not.

Koenma knew that Botan had suffered so much, and yet her attitude even after death was nothing but positive. That was who she was at her core. It was the reason Koenma had promoted her. He knew she would make a difference, and he refused to punish her for being a demon to start. She did not have any of the qualities that his father thought they did and had pounded into his son until he said he agreed.

"Hello, Koenma, sir."

The Reikai prince smiled when he heard Botan's chipper voice. It seemed she was back from her ferrying duties and wanted to get a head start on the paper work. Every time she went, though, she would stop by his office to chat for a brief minute. It was a nice reprieve from all of his paperwork that he detested so much. "Botan," he greeted. "I trust everything went well today."

Botan hesitated. "Well, for the most part…"

That caught Koenma's interest. Botan was rarely ever serious or grim. "What happened?"

The ferry girl sighed. "Well, I don't know what happened. I went to ferry just a handful of souls, and then when I got to the city there were so many more, all human teenagers. They all said that they had gone to some haunted factory to see if rumors were true and were all so terrified and upset. I calmed them down, but no one would talk about it. I didn't expect anyone else to die today."

Unfortunately, Koenma did. He had known something was amiss when he saw the predictions of the day. He was surprised, but he had no proof that something underhanded was happening until now. The location of death was not haunted. That only meant something that had Koenma fearful.

It meant demons were finding ways to cross over into Human World.

If there was ever a time he needed a Spirit Detective, it would be now, but Koenma hadn't been having so much luck finding any individual to do the job. He was painstakingly trying to come up with candidates, but he was starting not to trust his judgment after his last selection.

"Koenma, sir?"

Koenma snapped back to attention, looking into the confused and concerned pink pools of his subordinate and friend. "It's all right, Botan. As disheartening as it is, all of those children were supposed to die today."

"But…why?" Botan questioned, still not liking that aspect of her job. "They're so young."

"That's not something you have to worry about," Koenma assured her. "I'm sure the problem will correct itself soon."

"Well, alright, then," Botan replied. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to your paperwork."

Koenma felt relief when Botan went to leave the office. He ended up shouting at her retreating form to "find ogre" before he resumed stamping the files in front of him. Then he pulled up Yatsude's file. "This is going to be a long night…"

* * *

Hiei awoke later in an unknown place, finding himself in a comfortable bed. That was a rarity for him, unsettling. He looked off to the side and gaped at what he saw, completely dumbfounded as the redheaded demon stared back at him, sitting underneath his window. "You heal very quickly," the demon observed. "Just four hours." The fire demon looked down to his chest, torso, and abdomen to see that the gashes he sustained from battle had closed. "It was deep," his former opponent had continued. "I healed you. A Makai remedy…"

He couldn't help it. Hiei looked to the demon distrustfully. He knew how their world worked. This demon wanted something, and he would be damned if he allowed another like his former master would enter his life. He said nothing in response, but it didn't deter his host from conversing. "You haven't had the Jagan long. I can tell." Hiei looked away, irritated. "You must have a good reason to try that…" The stranger didn't elaborate on what he meant, but Hiei was certain he was either criticizing him or commending him for coming after a strong demon so soon, relatively speaking, after he lost all his strength. "What's the connection between her and Yatsude?

"Who is Yukina?"

Crimson eyes expanded as the question was voice, and Hiei froze. How did this demon know about Yukina? Was he a mind reader? Hiei almost believed he was when the demon stated, "You spoke in your sleep…"

Hiei gritted his teeth. "You talk too much…" he snarled. "I should've killed you." Then he got up from the bed and moved to the window. He paused before he reached it. "In thanks, I'll tell you something," he offered. "Your naivety will be the end of you one day."

Kurama kept a stoic façade, but he was actually highly amused. So this demon thought him naïve? He had no idea who he was, how old he was, and what he could do to him despite his weakened state. He was slightly stunned when the stranger he had harbored was about to climb out the window. His wounds were healed, but he had yet to completely recover. "You still mean to fight?" Kurama questioned, his expression dark and intense. "It's too soon."

Hiei growled at the demon, but waited so he could explain. "The more he eats, the stronger he gets."

Kurama was actually impressed. This young demon did his research. He also admired the tenacity. His curiosity about the stranger was growing. "What's your name?" he asked.

The fire demon hesitated to give it, but he did realize he owed the demon his life for saving his. This redhead could have left him for dead, but he chose to bring him into a human home to heal the injuries he caused from his own impetuous attack. "…Hiei." With that, he flashed out of the stranger's window and continued his pursuit of Yatsude.

Kurama was actually a bit surprised. He recognized the name the fire demon had given. After all, it had only been fourteen years since he was supposedly killed, and by that time he had already heard mention of the ruthless, loner demon as he himself passed through villages of thieves. "He already has a great reputation as a thief," the fox demon said to himself, "but he'll have trouble fighting Yatsude…"

The thief hardly had time to think about it when his house phone rang. "Hello?" he greeted. "Minamino speaking." The person on the other line was a classmate, Tasaka, though Kurama hardly cared to remember all their names. This one, though, he was one of Maya's friends. The words he said made Kurama's blood run cold.

" _Maya never got home! Is she with you?"_

* * *

A growl escaped Hiei as he jumped over the tops of buildings swiftly. He had used the Jagan to pinpoint a large, demonic energy. That had to be Yatsude. It definitely wasn't the kid he had seen. Speaking of, that naïve demon has caught up to Hiei, surprising the fire demon. He looked to the kid in question. "I'm coming with you," he was told by the redhead.

"Oh," Hiei muttered stoically. "Really. Why?" Actually, he was trying to play off his relief. He still felt weak from his earlier battle with the kid. He really didn't mind having a temporary ally against Yatsude.

"I have my reasons," Kurama answered cryptically.

Hiei was able to see right through him. "Because of that girl, right?" he pressed.

"Don't be smart," Kurama replied, though Hiei could hear the underlying threat in his tone.

Instead of giving a cheeky response, Hiei said, "…You still talk too much."

"We'll see about that _after_ Yatsude."

In a burned-down and long-abandoned doll factory, Hiei and Kurama investigated, and neither were pleased with what they found. "Ruins…" Hiei murmured. "This guy's twisted. He mixes his leftovers with the dolls…"

Kurama agreed. The next moment, though, merely a second after Hiei spoke, he sensed the quick motion of Yatsude appearing behind them. Hiei felt the shift too, his eyes glistening with surprise, the fire demon not having expected the attack. "You're dead!" Yatsude exclaimed from behind, going to grab them with one of his arms.

They easily avoided him, but were face to face. Yatsude was a behemoth with four large arms and two coming out of his head wearing a belt made of the skulls of his victims. Hiei's eyes narrowed at the demon as did those of the redhead who accompanied him. "You two are tough," Yatsude said.

Hiei didn't care about praise from the monster. He had business to take care of. "I'll only ask you once. Who was the koorime you ate?"

Yatsude smirked, chuckling. "I don't remember."

Kurama grimaced, but his voice was calm as he declared, "You kidnapped a girl today. Where is she?"

"I'll give you a clue," the cretin responded. He held out a bloodied arm, and Kurama was deeply enraged at his gesture. Emerald eyes widened and filled with the fox's anger. "What's this…?" Yatsude taunted.

That was all it took for Kurama to give into his rage, charging in to attack, pouring his demon energy into his vines, the plants becoming swords as they extending from his fingers. Hiei jumped up, also attacking. The two boys were just randomly hitting Yatsude with their assault. At first, their movements were fast and confused the large demon, but then he was able to defend against them. "How naïve!" he mocked again. Hiei and Kurama didn't let up, even though they were getting hit. Eventually, though, they were pushed back, and both demons knew what was happening.

 _Dispersing our attacks doesn't work!_ they both thought at the once. It was then they knew what they had to do. The two demons, strangers, needed to fight in sync, as one.

"Hm?" Yatsude grunted before the two demons attacked him together. "A double assault?" he shouted in disbelief and frustration.

Kurama moved into view while Hiei moved behind him and vanished from sight. Yatsude was confused and thought, _Disappeared? Behind the other one?_ He smirked. _It's a trick… He's above!_ "Pathetic!" he shouted out and attacked. An explosion lit in the air. "Much too easy."

But it was not Hiei who was destroyed. "A doll?" Yatsude bellowed, seeing the shattered shards. "A trap!" He looked up to see Hiei ready to slash him with his sword. "Shit!"

Hiei cut through Yatsude multiple times, the demon's body falling to pieces. Kurama then used his vines to strike Yatsude, blood spewing everywhere. Then, Yatsude laid in pieces on the floor, grimacing. "Not bad…" he reluctantly spat out. "As a reward… The girl is safe…" Kurama's eyes widened slightly at the confession.

Hiei was still not appeased. He stared at the dying monster and once again asked, "Who was the koorime you ate?" Yatsude chuckled. "I don't know any koorime," he admitted. "If I'd eaten her…I wouldn't have lost…"

 _So it wasn't him…_ Hiei felt even more overwhelmed by the monster's confession. At least if Yatsude had eaten Yukina, he would have had closure, but now he still had no idea what became of his sister. An icy chill touched his core. _Where is she?_

* * *

After the battle, it was time for Kurama to return home. He found Maya unconscious in Yatsude's lair, and then collected her and carried her on his back. Kurama was surprised that Hiei waited for him and left with him. The young demon must have found solace that this Yukina, a koorime, otherwise known as an ice maiden, was safe from harm. He should have been off by now.

As they walked, Maya had awaken and found herself resting on Shuichi's back. Relief flooded her now that she was with her friend. "I must have been dreaming…"

Calmly and emotionlessly, Kurama replied, "Yes, that's right." It was then he used some of his power and a plant that would take care of this situation. "When you wake up, you'll have forgotten everything."

Maya started to drift, falling back to sleep as a sweet smell surrounded her. "You smell good…"

Kurama ignored her, thinking to himself, _You'll have forgotten everything, including your love…_

Hiei was walking back alongside the redhead enjoying the lack of conversation between them, but the fox demon spoke up breaking that. "The pollen of forgetfulness…" he stated, clearly trying to distract himself from what he had decided to do.

The fire demon had heard of it. "Partial amnesia," he announced knowingly.

"It's for her own good," Kurama continued, as if trying to convince himself. Hiei wondered how he could tell, but he figured that it was probably because the two had fought as one. Hiei had never done that with anyone before, never trusted someone enough other than Botan, but his chance to fight alongside his mate never came.

The fire demon closed his eyes for a moment, trying to force himself not to think about _her_ again, not when his sister was in danger. There was nothing he could do for the dead. Yukina may have still been alive. Either way, he still had another demon in front of him, and he did not want to forget him. He could very well be a decent pawn later, if nothing else. It had nothing to do with how well they worked together at all. At least, that's what Hiei had told himself. "And you? What's your name? I'll try to remember it."

"Kurama," the other demon revealed without reservation.

Hiei wanted to call the redheaded demon out on his lack of self-preservation once again, but he realized that this Kurama must have felt the same about him, that same trust. In fact, Kurama stated more than that, having now had insight to who Hiei was. "You must also have someone important to you. You even had a Jagan implanted to find her."

Hiei looked to Kurama for a moment, but he did not want to give the demon any satisfaction. Besides, it wasn't just one person he had been trying to find. "You really talk too much."

He was about to take off. "Are you going?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah," Hiei answered. "I can't stay here for long."

"Will I ever see you again?"

Hiei didn't answer, though he already knew. They would meet again, but next time not as enemies. Hiei flitted away, leaving Kurama behind. The fox demon just stared out into the sky at the spot where his knew comrade had disappeared. "Hiei." He smiled. Kurama knew they'd meet again, too.

* * *

A year had passed since that day. Kurama had returned to his mundane life as Shuichi Minamino, the girl who once engaged him always dismissing him as if he were a stranger. Hiei, after returning to Demon World to scour the realm for more information, he actually had learned something interesting. Shortly after going through the portal, he settled in a village where thieves resided for the night. As he walked by some demons, he randomly heard them speaking of the legendary bandit, the great Youko Kurama, and the fire demon stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide as saucers. A moment later, he continued his trek and resumed his search for Yukina. He wasn't even certain if the ice maiden was alive.

Throughout the year, Hiei searched without rest, still not able to track Yukina down, not even to a resting place. Eventually, he came to terms with the fact that she had to be alive. He then devised a plan to find her, one which would require an army to scourge the human cities. Yukina was no longer in Spirit World, and with no resting place discovered she couldn't be in Spirit World either. That only left Human World.

To make his plan happen, Hiei needed the three Spirit World artifacts, the ones secured in a heavily guarded vault in that realm. No demon would be foolish enough to pursue the Orb of Baast, Forlorn Hope, or Shadow Sword, but now was not the time for Hiei to get cold feet. He already knew he couldn't do this alone, but he already had an inkling of a partner. Now, they just needed more muscle. Hiei would find some idiotic demon to take the fall for him and another. After all, Hiei was already acquainted with a masterful and calculating thief. He was going to recruit Youko Kurama.

* * *

A/N: So I bet now everyone can see where this seemingly AU story is going :D I've been so excited to actually get to this point. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and are excited to see where we're going next. Until next time!


	13. The Reunion

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Sorry it took so long to get back to this one. As what happens with all my stories that delve into the series, I needed to find time to sit down and actually WATCH the episode, and with the craziness over Christmas (I won't delve into it) and then my jam packed schedule as of the New Year, I hadn't found the time. Today was the day. I will not be going as in-depth with the series as I have in other stories. I just need some of the scenes for the next part of this story. Once I get passed the series content, there will be more original content :) I'm looking forward to that. Until then, just bear with me and my hectic schedule ^_^**

 **~Chapter 13 – The Reunion~**

* * *

Hiei could not believe that his plan hadn't worked out in his favor. He had recruited Kurama thinking the demon would fulfill his end of the bargain. They had raided the vault as planned, taking the three legendary artifacts of Spirit World. Hiei had plans for all three. First, he'd create an army with the Shadow Sword, then he'd take control of them with the Forlorn Hope mirror, and he would be able to feed them with the Ord of Baast. With an army under his complete control, he'd be able to tear Human World apart and find his sister.

That was the plan until Kurama decided to go rouge, taking the Forlorn Hope to save his human mother. As he was about to leave the group, someone new entered the fray, a new Spirit Detective by the name of Yusuke Urameshi. He was there to take them all in for thievery. Kurama had casually walked away, declaring he didn't have time to be arrested. Hiei then flashed out of sight, taking the sword with him. Goki still had the Orb of Baast.

It didn't take long before the detective managed to defeat Goki and befriend Kurama. He had to be someone special to do the latter. He acquired the last two artifacts Hiei needed. The fire demon would do whatever it took to get the artifacts. He was not as foolishly overconfident as Goki nor as sympathetic to the humans as Kurama. Hiei refused to make the same mistakes they had. He would kill Yusuke Urameshi and anyone else who involved themselves in this case. So, as a result of his determination, Hiei set his sights on Yusuke and those around him. He was completely dumbfounded when one of those people included none other than his own mate.

Hiei had been watching the detective with the Jagan eye, the teenager spending a day at his school. He had been up on the roof, discussing the case with Botan. Hiei couldn't believe it, after all this time. How was she still alive when he watched her die in his arms? She was as lively and bright as ever, reassuring Yusuke about the case. Apparently, she was also his healer. And dressed up like one of the students to blend in as she assisted him on the case. Why was she helping the detective against him?

Then, he remembered her last words to him before she died. She hadn't remembered _who_ he was, and she probably had no idea she was helping his enemy. It left his core feeling numb. He had resigned himself to taking out the spirit detective and whoever associated with him. Never in his life could he have anticipated that his mate was among them. He had to shake off his emotions. He couldn't worry about her now, not until he found Yukina.

He continued to watch the detective and his mate conversing, and then a third entity appeared. She was a human girl, brown hair and eyes, and her sights were set on Yusuke and Botan. She did not look happy in the slightest. It was right after Botan was giving a report on Hiei, clearly not through knowledge of who he was, but probably because of something she heard. Honestly, he _was_ cunning and ruthless, and he _would_ do anything to get what he wanted. That included going after the young girl who was completely jealous of Botan and Yusuke being in such close proximity, misreading the situation entirely. Hiei smirked. He would use the jealous female, Keiko Yukimura, to get to the detective. If he wanted her back safely, Hiei had no doubt he'd bring him the artifacts. The humans were too easy.

* * *

Keiko was walking home that afternoon, thinking about Yusuke and the blue-haired girl he had been speaking to that morning. She had only got to him to make sure he turned in his book report. She didn't want her best friend and crush to get into trouble. After his death, she had hoped that coming back to life Yusuke would make an honest effort. It seemed he was still the most irresponsible guy she knew, and now, despite all they had shared during this whole ordeal, he was with some other girl, casting her aside as if she didn't matter.

As she continued to be lost in her downtrodden thoughts, she spoke out loud the one thought on her mind. "I hate boys." She didn't even notice anyone else around her.

Hiei had raced to his position, and he stood in the road watching the saddened girl noticing that her instincts of self-preservation were lacking. It disturbed him to that she was so sullen over Botan and Yusuke being together. At first, Hiei thought nothing of it, but as the day continued, he forced himself to avoid thinking about it all. Despite Botan's missing memory, it had never occurred to him there could be something between her and that idiotic detective. He refused to even let his thoughts linger on the possibility like the human teenager was currently doing, the girl ignoring her surroundings and completely unaware of her impending attacker.

He forced the thoughts to the back of his mind, focusing on the task at hand. As Keiko drew closer and closer to the fire demon, his fingers itched in anticipation on the hilt of the Shadow Sword. It was when the girl was right next to him that he spoke up. "You needn't worry, Keiko." The girl paused in her stride. The two turned to face each other, and Hiei readied his blade to strike her. "He likes you well enough."

Keiko was pushed back by the force of the swing, a small gash being made on her skin. The wound was completely superficial. It would heal. All Hiei wanted was to use the girl to get the detective to hand over the artifacts. Having the antidote that would keep her from turning into his demon slave would be his insurance to make sure the detective fulfilled his end of the bargain. But first, he needed to get his message across.

Instead of directly communicating with Yusuke, he opened the line of communication between himself and Botan.

* * *

Botan was humming along, making sure all of the spirit detective tools were safely tucked in her briefcase. To be honest, there wasn't much to do until they found Hiei, and she knew the demon could be anywhere. She barely knew anything about the demon other than what was in Spirit World's public records. He was a demon thief, only wanted for petty crimes. He was never high up on Spirit World's list of priorities, not until he had come after the legendary artifacts in King Enma's vault. The ferry girl couldn't help but wonder why someone who was off the radar would go to such great lengths. Surely, he knew his sentencing would be far worse for what he had accomplished. Kurama had at least had a noble reason, and he was being let off for good behavior. Hiei's reasoning…what could it be?

 _Woman._

The ferry girl nearly shrieked as a voice entered her head. She had never heard it before and yet for some reason it sounded very familiar. _Wh-who is this?_ she questioned. _What do you want?_

Hiei could hardly keep the bitterness for escaping into his mental thoughts. _You honestly have no idea who I am…_

 _None,_ Botan returned. Then she thought about it for a moment and gasped at the only logical option. _Hiei? Is that you?_

There was fear oozing from her through the connection he established, and Hiei could tell she still have no idea as to who he was. Well, that was fine. He didn't need her to remember him, not now anyway. All he needed in this moment was for her to pass along a message, after he got some answers first. _Why are you palling around with the detective? Who are you to him?_

Botan's brow furrowed. Why did Hiei want to know? _I'm a ferry girl of Spirit World,_ she informed him, answering his wonderings on how she was alive when he watched her die. _I was recently promoted to chief ferry girl, and along with that I am also assistant to the spirit detective. Why are you doing this?_

He ignored her question, delivering his message. _I have the girl._

 _Pardon?_ Botan repeated, confused. He tried not to react when he heard the softness in her voice, reminiscent of all the times they were together.

He had to push it away, his inner voice becoming darker. _I took the detective's woman. If he wants to see her again, he better bring the other two artifacts. You might want to be quick about it. She's not well._

 _What?_ the woman shrieked. _Hiei, why-?_

The fire demon cut communication with her before she could ask him again why he was doing this. He couldn't give her an answer. Besides, she needed to get the detective moving. He looked over to the unconscious Keiko. They didn't have much time before she would become a demon.

* * *

It was hardly a stroke of luck when Yusuke came running out of his school meeting up with Botan on the streets. Hiei had been nearby, flaring his demon energy so that the demon energy compass Botan had given him would lead the detective straight to him. "I think my compass went stupid," Yusuke declared to Botan. "No matter how far I run, it says one mile."

Botan grimaced, reluctant to tell Yusuke, but he needed to know what they were dealing with. "Hiei is using his energy to send out a moving signal for you to follow," she explained. "I'd say he's leading you to his hideout."

"That's cute," Yusuke scoffed.

"No, it's not," Botan argued. "He's told me terrible things through telepathy. He's kidnapped Keiko, and he won't give her back unless we bring him the two other artifacts."

Yusuke immediately stopped running, both startled by Botan's words and pissed off that his demon enemy was holding the girl he cared about hostage. "He what?" The detective never wanted Keiko to be involved in any of it, and now she was at the mercy of someone who didn't care if she lived or died. Well, Yusuke knew what was important. He'd play Hiei's game, for now, and bring him the artifacts, but once he got Keiko back he was going to let the crook have it.

Hiei continued to watch feeling his stomach churn as he saw the flicker of anger and tightened fists through his woman's mind. For some reason, the detective's reaction, the one the fire demon expected, reminded Hiei so much of the time his former master had been planning to destroy Botan in front of him. The rage he felt had been insurmountable, and what Cameron had been planning to do was unforgivable. Even though Hiei had hardly made a scratch on the woman and this process he started was reversible, he couldn't shake the bitterness in his chest. Once he had his hands on all three artifacts, at least this whole sickening act would be over.

"Get out here, Hiei! I'm gonna kick your ass!"

The heated yet juvenile words of the detective caught Hiei's attention. Well, now that Yusuke was there, soon it would be over. For now, the act had to continue. He needed the detective to believe he'd hurt the woman so that there would be no way the human wouldn't give him the artifacts. To be honest, Hiei never ventured to guess that Yusuke would react the same way he did against Cameron. He never would have guessed a weakling human to respond to fight-or-flight with fight. He would learn that he was wrong soon enough.

The warehouse door closed behind the detective, preventing the ability to run away. It was time for his plan to be put into action. He had used the Jagan to control the minds of a group of male humans from the surrounding area, just to show the detective the kind of power he was messing with. "What the…" he heard the detective say. "Who the hell are they?"

"Physically," Botan spoke up, nearly paralyzing Hiei's core again, "they're normal humans, but it looks like Hiei is controlling their minds."

"What?" Yusuke shouted again, appalled.

Botan grew more concerned, seeing evidence in front of her of something no one in Spirit World anticipated. "The records department doesn't know about this," she stated. "For him to be able to control so many humans at once, he must possess the Jagan."

Hiei had no idea how she would have known that, but he couldn't help the smirk that appeared. The woman always was bright, and he assumed being in Spirit World all these years had granted her knowledge she wouldn't normally possess. Actually, his pride turned to amusement when Yusuke repeated the name of his third eye. The human, unlike his mate, had not a clue as to what was going on. The Spirit World prince had done a lousy job of picking and training his detective.

"Well done," Hiei declared, revealing himself to the pair. He had the Shadow Sword in his hand, ready to fight. He chuckled at the dumbfounded look on the detective's face. "I used my power to rally them up this morning. They won't do much good against you, but they do make excellent scenery."

The Jagan was glowing red, and Yusuke muttered something quietly to Botan. The woman than informed him that that was the Jagan she was talking about, explaining that it was a third eye for the spirit.

"A normal human would have succumbed to its power by now," Hiei stated, actually impressed that Yusuke hadn't been broken under the force of his power, contrasting his earlier thoughts of the detective being weak. "But I see the geniuses in the Spirit World found a nice pick. That's why I've brought insurance."

Two of the humans brought the unconscious girl out, and the flashes of concern on both the detective's and Botan's faces were evident. Botan actually looked completely horrified, and despite her lost memory, Hiei mentally wondered if the scene triggered something inside of her. Honestly, he hadn't expected it, but it triggered something inside of him as well. _Just a little longer and I can drop this façade,_ he told himself. Once he got the artifacts, he'd hold Yusuke and Botan back, give the antidote, and then fly off to another hideout and start working towards his plan to search for Yukina. He'd figure out what to do next after that.

Yusuke's attention snapped back to Hiei, and he glared at the fire demon, his energy rising. "Hey, what do you plan to do with her?"

Hiei decided to be honest. "Nothing more if you've brought me the weapons." Without missing a beat, Yusuke took out the artifacts. "Oo, good boy, both the Orb of Baast and that precious Forlorn Hope. You may have her."

The mind controlled humans released the girl, Hiei keeping true to his word. He had predicted that it would be that easy, that the girl would be more important to the detective than anything else. His eyes flashed over to Botan as Yusuke ran to catch Keiko before she fell to the floor. Surprisingly, the woman was looking right at him, her pink hues meeting crimson. Her eyes were asking him the silent question, the question she had asked him repeatedly when he was in her mind, the reason he was doing all of this, especially if he was just going to give Keiko back. He averted his eyes, not willing to allow his amnesiac mate tear him open right in front of a child he was trying to deceive. He could not allow them to figure out why he needed the weapons, and so he continued to keep up the guise of being bent on world domination.

Botan ran over to Keiko and Yusuke once Hiei quickly broke eye contact, desperately wanting to make sure the girl was okay. As Hiei held the other artifacts, Botan and Yusuke sitting with Keiko, he couldn't help but chuckle with satisfaction. "So maybe my plan had a few setbacks, but the end result is still the same," he pondered. "All three of the ancient weapons of darkness are in my control, and those fools in charge will soon be bowing at my feet."

"You should stop bragging," the detective spoke up, his voice fearless. Hiei was surprised that he would talking to him at all, especially with such calm. He gritted his teeth, sneering at the teenaged detective. The boy was actually grinning. "It'll just make it more embarrassing for you. Now that I've got Keiko, I'm going to rip out your teeth."

Hiei was not amused by the human's declaration. The boy had just no idea who he was dealing with, and Hiei was starting to lose his patience at the child's talk. "Heh, try," he scoffed at the detective. "I'll give you a head start."

Yusuke gently lied Keiko down and pointed a finger at the fire demon. "You know that cocky laugh is really starting to piss me off!"

Hiei stood and watched as the detective, surprisingly slow in his movements, attempted to charge at him. The demon quickly stepped aside, Yusuke's punch missing as the human stood his ground. Yusuke was baffled by the disappearance. "He vanished…" But Hiei hadn't. He cascaded down to the floor behind the detective, the sound of his boots hitting the ground causing the detective to turn.

"I'm still here," Hiei returned. "I only stepped gently to the side. Was that a real hit?" As is to illustrate his advantage of speed, Hiei faded out of view in an instant up one of the crates. "I was under the impression it was a joke. Oh, but wait, you're not amused." Yusuke gritted his teeth, disbelieving how fast his opponent was. "And as for Keiko…"

Fear crept into Yusuke as he screamed, "What?" What more did the fire demon have to say about Keiko?

"Do you really think I'd relinquish my hostage without the reward? Look at her closely, Yusuke. You'll see she's still mine."

"You're lying!" Yusuke shot back, but he raced to the human girl's side again. He took a closer look at the sleeping girl's face, and Botan did as well. "What is that thing?" The eye started to open. "I don't understand. How?"

"You may have her body, but her future is mine," Hiei declared. "See, I struck her with the Shadow Sword, and once that Jagan eye opens completely, she becomes a demon, not a very smart one, I'm afraid, but perfect for a slave."

With the threat out there in the open, Hiei knew that the detective would walk away from the artifacts. Nothing was worth the life of a loved one being at the mercy of another. Hiei knew the feeling. Yusuke would walk away from it all, just like he had been willing to flee with Botan, and they could all move on from this moment.

That was until Botan had to involve herself, endangering her life as well as the girl's.

Hiei was aghast over the fact that his mate had selflessly thrown herself into their negotiation. She pushed Yusuke away, using her own energy to hold the eye at bay. Whatever she was doing, Hiei could visibly see that she was straining her body and spirit just for some lowly human. It angered him for a moment that she could be so stupid, but then he remembered…Botan had always been too kindhearted for her own good.

"I'll try to prevent it from opening," Botan told the detective. "You go and punch his brains out."

A frown appeared on the fire demon's face before he regained his cocky impression. He was hoping it wouldn't come down to wasting time with a fight, but now he had no choice. The detective wouldn't rest until Hiei was beaten. Either outcome of the fight would lead to the same scenario, Botan being freed from her self-sacrifice and Keiko would no longer be at risk of becoming a demon. Hiei would have to defeat the boy quickly if he wanted his mate to be spared from more pain. He could already feel her energy being emptied from her body.

"Yes, you better punch them out quickly," Hiei goaded to get Yusuke moving, "if you care about _your assistant_. I can feel her precious energy draining fast. Pity. Her poor, little body is giving everything it has. Soon, you'll have a girlfriend who's a demon and an assistant who's dead."

"Is that true?" Yusuke asked Botan, and Hiei could see the gears turning in his mind as a flicker of concern passed over his expression. For a moment he caught himself wondering if an assistant was really all Botan was to this boy. He truly looked worried for her wellbeing even when worried about his girlfriend.

Botan continued to use all her energy, but it was getting much harder to hold on. The energy pulsing from the mini Jagan on Keiko's forehead kept fighting her own energy, and the pain was unimaginable. She needed to hold on, though, for both Yusuke's and Keiko's sake. "Don't…worry about me, Yusuke," she ordered. "I'll stop it as long as I can."

"Botan…" Yusuke called out in warning. He didn't want her doing this to herself.

Honestly, Hiei didn't either, but he had to keep up this guise if he were to get what he needed. Yusuke's attention still was not on him, and the fire demon was beginning to get frustrated. He had had his fair share of enemies, and he tried to think of the ones that aggravated him the most. What truly shook him was when he thought of Cameron and that bastard's disturbed, evil laugh when he had lost consciousness.

 _Well,_ Hiei thought to himself, _I wanted to play the part…_ So, to get Yusuke's attention back on him, he let out the most arrogantly sinister laugh he could muster, and instantly the detective's brown eyes were on him. _Good, now let's get this over with._

Yusuke growled at the fire demon, his fist clenched in fury. "Oh, that's it."

The detective was finally on his feet, and Hiei continued his snickers. "I'm glad to see you're so enthused," he taunted, though still keeping focus on Botan's energy. She was fine for now, thankfully, but he knew it could change in an instant. He needed to make this fight a quick one, but that shouldn't have been too difficult considering the pathetic spirit energy of his opponent. He would continue to monitor his mate. If worse came to worse, he'd have to drop the damn charade. That was his worst case scenario. "The game will be more exciting this way."

Yusuke only grew more aggravate. The more Hiei talked down to him and insulted Botan or made a remark regarding Keiko, the new spirit detective had difficulties containing himself. He wasn't the kind of fighter who thought his actions through, but Hiei was not going to be an easy opponent. The demon already proved that when Yusuke blindly attacked him in his rage and easily avoided the hit. But he couldn't just stand there and do nothing!

"What game?"

Hiei took out the sword and explained. "The hilt of this sword is hollow. Contained inside in the only antidote to stop the sword's effect. If you get the sword, the girl will live. Fun, right? Think of it as a little game of tag."

And in that instant, the dam in Yusuke's mind finally crumbled, and he sprang into action faster than he had before and faster than Hiei had expected. The fire demon barely had any time to react before a fist met his face, and he was propelled across the room. He caught himself midair, righting himself as he landed on the crate across from the spirt detective. _Faster than I thought…_ Hiei gazed at the boy, concealing his shock well. "What happened, spirit detective? You weren't that fast before."

"This isn't a game, dirt face," Yusuke angrily retorted. "Keiko is my friend."

"Now I see," Hiei acknowledged. "You're a decent fighter on your own, but when your friend's on the line, your strength increases greatly. You're a team player, a save-the-day superhero. I hate people like you." Yusuke smirked at that, that cocky bastard. "And yes, spirit detective, you surprised me, but like a true amateur you failed to take advantage of the situation. You didn't get back the sword, a mistake that will prove fatal, because now that I know it, I won't be dropping my guard any longer. The world doesn't give many chances…" That was something Hiei knew well as his eyes returned to his woman. "You've just missed yours."

But Yusuke wasn't bothered this time, and his smirk only widened as his eyes narrowed. "Are you done yapping yet?"

Now, it was Hiei's turn to grow irritated. He glowered at the overconfident human, unsure as to where this wave of combativeness came from. The Jagan glowed fiercely on his head. "Not quite," he responded.

This time, he faded out of sight again, and Yusuke attempted to search for him keeping his guard up, for the most part. His eyes shifted quickly around the room, still not being able to see his opponent. Hiei continued to faze in and out of view as he cackled. "Can you keep up? Human eyes are so slow. Come now, where am I?" Yusuke grunted in frustration. He still couldn't focus on a spot to attack, not with the demon's annoying voice filling his head. "Hn, what's wrong? Do I confuse you?" He was behind Yusuke now, about to strike the boy down. "Do I?"

At the moment Hiei was about to attack, Yusuke shifted, grinning knowingly at the demon. Hiei did not have enough time to pull back. He was hit again, punched in the face by the spirit detective, and he felt to the ground gracelessly. All of the artifacts fell from his coat as he was thrusted into a crate, shattering the wood. He managed to stand, but he had the wind completely knocked out of him.

Hiei was absolutely livid.

"Now, you're dead," he threatened.

Yusuke remained unfazed. "See, Hiei, that's what I'm talking about. Yap, yap, yap like you're some crappy pro wrestler, and then what happens? You have to eat up all your words. It's pretty dumb."

Hiei growl rumbled in Hiei's chest as he stood up to face the boy again. His thought of Yusuke being weak was now gone, and that was not a good thing. Botan's energy was rapidly decreasing. He needed to get on with it. Now, he removed his cloak. Despite the fact that he despised his new transformation awarded to him by the Jagan, he needed to use it if he was going to make sure his mate survived and his plan went his way. "Consider this a compliment. I've never transformed for a human."

"What?" Yusuke asked, and Hiei was starting to get peeved that that was all this detective seemed to ask about everything.

The fire demon let his energy glow around him, concentrating on it. Once he raised it enough in a certain way, he'd be able to transform. His skin turned green, and many eyes began to open all over his body. They were practically useless, but they would amplify the Jagan's power. Until he could increase his energy back to the level where it used to be, he was at the mercy of all the abilities the Jagan granted him for battle, including this one. He never anticipated though that his transformation would trigger the eye on the human girl's forehead. Not until he and the detective heard Botan cry out. Hiei's attention snapped to her, the woman's hand burned by a dark energy, but instead of just abandoning the task, she resumed, putting more of her spirit energy into keeping the girl from transforming, even when his own energy was cutting her.

"Something's wrong," Yusuke declared, looking down over the two women. "She's in trouble…"

At this point, Hiei should have dropped the act and gone to assist the woman, but he had already taken things this far. He needed to see it through. He chortled again, the detective turning back to him. "Don't be alarmed, detective, it's just me," he stated, as if he knew all along this would happen as a result of the transformation when he really had no clue. "Now that I'm in my full demon form, Keiko will join me any minute.

"Never," Yusuke challenged.

"There's no reason to be upset, though," the fire demon taunted. "I'll take you out of this world long before you ever have to see her."

Hiei moved to attack Yusuke, the detective shaking at the overwhelming power he was feeling. "Whoa, let's talk." But Hiei was done talking. There was no time now, and so he returned Yusuke's blow with his own, his punch sending Yusuke flying.

In the meantime, someone else was about to enter the fray. Kurama had caught wind of the battle, and rushed to aid Yusuke. When he got in front of the seaside warehouse, though, he could sense Hiei's aura. "That scent is unmistakable. Hiei must be desperate to take that form." He knew much about the Jagan implant Hiei sported, and he knew that there was a form that would give him immense strength, but it was not something he expecting the proud fire demon to fall back on. Something must have been happening in there that caused Hiei to feel the _need_ to get to this point. Kurama could only hope he wasn't too late.

* * *

Back inside, Hiei had Yusuke right where he wanted him, trapped in bands of his energy. The detective was rightly troubled. "Well, this is new, but maybe you could give me green ones. They'd match a lot better."

Hiei chuckled, amused at the human's plight. "A joker to the end, aren't you? Perhaps my Jagan Tie Curse needs to be tighter for you to get serious." He raised the teenager up with his energy before tossing the boy to the ground." He then jumped down to the floor to become slightly more level with the teenager. "I have a great idea. How about I give you a choice?"

"Uah, what?" Yusuke replied, only slightly curious.

The fire demon brought the Shadow Sword with him with his telekinetic powers, catching the hilt in his hand. "I could end your life now," he offered, "or, if you prefer, I'll make you into a demon." Yusuke didn't answer. He could only look up at Hiei helplessly wrapped in the red energy bands. Neither option sounded good to the detective. "What? You want me to choose?" Hiei chuckled. Honestly, this could be the start to his army. The boy was clearly stronger than he had given him credit. Maybe he would be an asset in rescuing Yukina.

"Fine," Hiei confirmed, running towards the boy. He planned to strike him down with the Shadow Sword, the first new demon enlisted to his cause. Yusuke closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

Kurama was the one to take the hit instead, protecting the detective. Both Hiei and Yusuke looked to the redhead in shock. "Uah, Kurama?"

"You really have gone insane," Hiei accused the demon. He couldn't believe he would intercede his final blow like that.

Kurama merely smirked at Hiei, cutting his hand on the sword to fill his hand with blood. Then, he used his own blood, waving his hand to force the sticky, red fluid into Hiei's main Jagan eye.

Hiei staggered back, feeling the sting of the blood in the eye that had become a part of his body. Its pain was Hiei's pain. The sword fell from his hand. "Ugh," he cried out. "My eye, my Jagan eye."

The red energy trapping Yusuke completely faded. "Hey, I've come untied."

Kurama spoke up, giving Yusuke pointers on how to finish the fight with the fire demon. "The eyes on Hiei's body are merely for amplification. Without the Jagan exposed on his forehead, his powers become useless." Then the fox grimaced, the pain of the wound finally hitting him.

"Hey, you okay?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm fine," Kurama assured him. "Only a minor hole in my stomach."

"You…didn't have to do that," Yusuke stated.

"I'm alive only because of you," Kurama replied. "Please, allow me to pay my debt. You must handle Hiei. I will use my powers to keep the girl from transforming."

Hiei managed to wipe the blood from his eye, irritated that the fox had chosen to betray him for a second time. However, he wouldn't stop him from assisting Botan with Keiko. In fact, Kurama's presence there would allow Botan a break. He could return to focusing solely on defeating Yusuke to get the artifacts. Everything was about to go in his favor. In a way, he should actually be thanking Kurama for his impromptu appearance.

After verbally declaring the fox a traitor, Yusuke marched right up to Hiei, stopping in front of him. The spirit energy flowing around the teen was a bright red, matching the fury of his heart. Hiei was going to have to up his game if he was going to be victorious. The detective wouldn't go down without a fight, and he would not stay down unless he was dead.

"Take your problems up with me."

 _What is this?_ Hiei asked himself internally. _The more dangerous the situation becomes, the faster his spirit energy grows. I mustn't allow this to go on any longer._

Hiei cried out, springing from his position on the ground, punching Yusuke aside. Yusuke then countered, attempting to strike Hiei before he regained his footing. The fire demon flashed away from him before reappearing to kick Yusuke back, him and the detective exchanging a series of blows, some which were hits and some that were misses. Eventually, they fell into a rhythm, neither of them landing a decisive blow to the other. Neither would let up, and eventually, Hiei struck the detective again.

Yusuke was forced into the air, and Hiei battered the teenager with a barrage of hits from all sides. "You see? It doesn't matter how strong you are if you can't hit me." He then punched Yusuke into a metal wall for good measure. His victory was assured, now. He had won.

"Damn it," Yusuke muttered under his breath, his eyes shifting to the fire demon, and something else.

As Yusuke looked to his attacker, his eyes caught sight of the Forlorn Hope behind him, and an idea filtered into his brain. He didn't know if it was possible or even if it would work, but he was about to die, anyway. There was nothing left to lose. It was the only way he would be able to take Hiei out.

With that, Yusuke stood up, and slowly ran in the direction of the mirror. Hiei laughed at his ill-conceived attempts. "How sad. After all this, you actually think you can run away from me."

Hiei took after Yusuke, the detective hopeful that he could get into position for his attack. "Detective!" Hiei called out to him, the demon also readying himself to end the battle.

Yusuke turned quickly, posing to use a move, aiming his finger directly at Hiei. _Please, don't miss,_ he pleaded with himself. Hiei was directly in front of him as blue energy danced at the tip of his finger. "Spirit Gun!" Yusuke shouted, releasing the energy.

As Yusuke expected, Hiei dodged in midair, avoiding the beam altogether. "My, what a well-kept secret," Hiei stated, not at all overwhelmed by the surprising turn of events. "Too bad all of your energy was wasted on poor aim."

However, the energy wasn't wasted, and Hiei was shot from behind by that same energy. When it hit him, Hiei couldn't help but cry out questioning what had happened. "Simple," the boastful detective had stated. "I won."

After Yusuke's explanation, the effects of the battle caught up with Hiei, the demon falling out of his demon form and losing consciousness. His plan had failed.

* * *

Moments later, Yusuke, Kurama, and Botan were all gathered around Keiko and Hiei. Yusuke gave the antidote in the sword to his friend, the small Jagan disappearing instantly. He grinned, relieved. "Goodbye, Keiko monster."

"She's going to recover," Botan affirmed, incredibly thankful that nothing had happened to the girl. She smiled at Yusuke, so proud that he was able to win with such a clever move.

"I hope so," Yusuke responded. His attention shifted to the other demon. "Thanks for all the help, Kurama. How do you feel?"

"Good, I guess," the redhead declared. "I avoided the organs, at least."

"I still can't believe what you did, Yusuke," Botan spoke up. "Why didn't you tell me the Spirit Gun could bounce off mirrors? When did you learn that?"

"Mm, about ten minutes ago," Yusuke answered.

"What?" Botan shrieked in horror.

Yusuke proudly explained, "Hiei was way too fast. I knew he'd be able to dodge the Spirit Gun unless I could shoot him from behind. That's when I spotted the forlorn hope in the corner and I thought 'hey, I'll give it a try.'"

Kurama was flabbergasted. "You…weren't certain?"

"Well, one time in science class they bounced light off a mirror, so I thought it might be the same."

"Might?" Botan hissed. "You risked our lives on a 'might?' What exactly would you have done if the Spirit Gun hadn't bounced off the mirror?"

"Get chopped into pieces, I guess," the detective replied nonchalantly, horrifying Botan.

As the detective and his assistant bickered, Kurama couldn't help but chuckle, but then he caught a whiff of something with his sensitive nose. He was close to Koenma's ferry girl. He had seen her before and knew she was the assistant to the Spirit Detective. Still, now that he was closer to her, he could smell a very distinct scent. The fox demon didn't know how it was possible, but this ferry girl in this human body given to her by Spirit World…she smelled of Hiei, the fire demon's scent wrapped around her own, and that could only mean one thing to a demon.

Kurama's eyes shifted to his unconscious ex-partner, curiosity dancing in his eyes. There would be no point to say anything at the moment. He couldn't question Hiei about what he was sensing. He intended to get answers later, perhaps when paying Hiei a visit in Spirit World. The demon needed to know just who this girl was to Hiei. If his assumptions were correct, that would change everything.

This young demon who was but a mystery when he first appeared in front of Kurama only one year prior was becoming quite an interesting enigma.

* * *

With Hiei being unconscious, it was up to Botan to bring him and the artifacts back to Spirit World. Kurama had placed the sleeping demon on her oar and secured him. The trip back was uneventful, yet Botan couldn't help the feeling fluttering in her gut that this whole mess was only the beginning of something much larger. She quickly shook the thought off. Hiei had been working alone, for the most part. Kurama had given no indication that this plan would lead to something bigger. The ferry girl scolded herself for being so silly.

She landed in Spirit World, Prince Koenma waiting for her return. She saw the look of pure shock on her boss's face when he saw her with Hiei. Well, she did suppose it was a strange sight, the fact that a ferry girl was carrying an unconscious, living soul in such a manner. "Botan, reporting for duty, sir," she greeted. "Yusuke was able to defeat Hiei without a hitch, and he even got back all three artifacts."

The ferry girl presented Koenma with the three weapons of darkness, but the glimmer of disbelief never met his eyes. "Sir? Is something wrong?" Then she looked to the mirror. "Oh, yes, well…Yusuke needed to use to Forlorn Hope to defeat Hiei. The Spirit Gun shattered it, I'm afraid. I'm hoping that won't be a problem with your fath-"

"Did he say anything to you?"

Botan's voice died in the back of her throat, and her purple eyes fluttered a couple times as she contemplated the bizarre question. Who was Koenma talking about? "Pardon?"

"Hiei," Koenma replied. "Did he speak to you at all?"

"N…No?" Botan asked, her voice questioning. "He only contacted me through telepathy. Oh, right, we should let records know, but Hiei possesses the Jagan. It gave Yusuke a lot of trouble. Anyway…he only contacted me to say he had kidnapped Keiko. Then, when we got there, he was too busy trying to kill Yusuke and I was trying to keep Keiko from turning into a demon, so we didn't exactly have time to chat…" Koenma's eyes widened at the detailed report Botan was giving him. Then she gasped out. "Oh, I almost forgot. He did ask me when he contacted me regarding Keiko why I was helping Yusuke. That was about it, though." Koenma's expression grew serious, and Botan wondered what about what she said troubled him. "S-Sir?"

Koenma waved over a few ogres, gesturing to Hiei. "Take him to lockup," he reluctantly ordered. Despite whatever he knew, he still had to do his job, and Hiei had committed a terrible crime against Spirit World. His brown eyes shifted to Botan. Until he could figure out what to do about Hiei, he needed to keep the two of them apart, at least for now. "Botan…" he spoke warily.

The ferry girl tilted her head in confusion, taking note of her boss's stern tone. "Yes, sir?"

"You are not to go down into lockup to see him for any reason," the prince ordered. "Are we clear?"

"Y-Yes, sir," Botan stammered, agreeing. Koenma granted her a nod and then dismissed her for the night, leaving a very puzzled ferry girl at Spirit World's entrance.

His words had been strange to her. Botan had never been one to frequent the Spirit World Penitentiary for any reason. Her duties were strictly ferrying and assisting Yusuke. There was no reason for her to go and see the fire demon at all. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind for a second. Now, though, she was uncertain. Koenma's strange line of questioning and now this order forbidding her to go to the prison made her want to break her promise for some reason.

She wasn't sure as to why.


	14. The Visit

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters**

 **Hey all, I'm back with another chapter, and also with some news. A friend of mine recently joined Discord to advertise her art. I've been using my DeviantArt account to advertise my stories and give updates, but I've decided to use Discord to do so as well. I'm still getting set up on Discord, but if you want to get updates on stories, access to future content, fanfiction and fandom discussion pages, a private grief/emotional recovery group, and more. If you're interested, you can PM me for my account name to add me or give me yours, and I'll invite you to my channel. I look forward to hearing from you ^_^**

 **Also, sorry for the delay. This was actually the first time in the last few months I could sit down to actually rewatch YYH episodes to work on the chapter. In any case, we finally have a new chapter.**

 **I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!**

 **~Chapter 14 – The Visit~**

* * *

Hiei awoke in a Spirit World cell, realizing immediately that his plan had failed. His eyes narrowed at no spot in particular, the fire demon silently sulking over his own mistakes. He should have known that capturing the human girl would backfire on him. Yes, he was desperate, but if his reaction to his former master going after Botan was any indication, there was no way he would have been able to defeat the detective.

 _Botan…_

He still couldn't believe that his mate had been so close to him, one of Spirit World's ferry girls and that lucky fool's assistant. She could have been hurt again, and it was once again his fault, though this time he was the actual cause. Grimacing, he shook his head. How could he have let that happen? After everything…

Well, as he looked around the cell, he couldn't deny that he truly deserved to be there. He had underestimated the spirit detective, and that was a foolish blunder on his part. Where he hated being underestimated, he rarely ever let his cockiness get the better of him, even if he was playing the part of the evil villain. So many mistakes were made that day, and he had to accept them.

Honestly, he would probably go to trial. That was to be expected for criminals like him, though handling enemies in Demon World was much more honorable than exchanging a few confessions in front of beings for which he cared so little. Either way, he wouldn't be bothered until then. With that thought, Hiei stretched out, his hands behind his head and his leg crossed over his knee. He figured he may as well make himself comfortable. He was going to be there a very long time.

The sound of a screeching door proved the fire demon wrong, his crimson eyes snapping open when the door was closed. No one should be coming to see him, and yet the sound of soft footsteps caught his attention. He sat up, looking through the bars of the cell. Narrowed eyes widened a fraction when he saw his woman standing before him wearing a ridiculously bright pink kimono. Despite the absurdity of her outfit, he couldn't help but think how beautiful and ethereal she appeared.

Despite the sentimental thoughts that fired off in his mind, Hiei remained stoic. His core was beating erratically, irregular for a demon. Only her presence could cause such a potent reaction. After all this time, no matter what she had become, she was still his mate, the one he took by the stream.

But this was no time to reminisce…

"What are you doing here, ferry girl?" he demanded, voice harsh.

His ire caused Botan to flinch and frown. Honestly, she didn't know _what_ she was doing there. One moment, she was in Koenma's office reporting all of the events in Human World. The next, he was telling her not to visit Hiei in lockup. Never had it crossed her mind to do so, but being told not to caused her characteristic curiosity to flare up. Even though she wanted to fulfil her duties, she could not convince herself to return to her room. Her feet carried her to the penitentiary.

"I thought you might want some company is all," Botan expressed, "so I came to see you."

The prisoner was hardly convinced, crossing his arms and giving the woman this disbelieving look. He didn't buy her words, especially since she had no memory of him besides that of fear and pain. A heated gaze saw her bandaged hands, a reminder of his failure. "Do you normally frequent the cells of demons who have caused you harm?"

Botan's nonchalant demeanor fell, and he could see a glimmer of the nervous and timid woman she could be once she let down her guard. There was uncertainty in her eyes, a look he was only privy to after the two had started their unlikely friendship. He took the moment to drink in the sight of her, his eyes roving her kimono-clad body. His gaze settled on her hand, the touch of purple missing. It seemed she no longer possessed the Dragon of the Living Water just as he no longer held the loyalty of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame.

A sigh escaped the ferry girl, and his eyes snapped back up to her eyes. Strangely enough, they were narrowed slightly, filled with the fires of determination. "Honestly," she huffed in a breath, "I was told by Lord Koenma not to come to you. I still have no idea why he'd even say that. I wanted to find out."

His expression softened only slightly as he realized that the rebellious woman who had snuck around with him still existed in the depths of her mind. Beside himself, he reached out to her, wanting to touch her soft and inviting skin. It had been seventy-seven years since they had mated, and seventy-two since the woman died in his arms, not nearly a long time for demons, but long enough to be without her. Botan seemed aghast, but she made no move to avoid him. His hand drew closer to her, and she merely watched him with unbridled inquiry.

He was stopped by a barrier, one that zapped his hand.

Hiei pulled his hand back, glaring at the appendage as if it had betrayed him before looking back at the bars. The woman's expression held a pitying look, and it offended him. She was shocked, of course, not having expected there to be a barrier between them. It didn't matter. He just wanted to wipe that disgusting look from her face. Never did he want his mate to look at him that way.

"Drop the concerned façade," he ordered. Botan looked hurt by the way he was brushing her off, probably unaware that she even felt that way. "Return to your life as a useless ferry girl."

His dismissive words wounded Botan more deeply than she ever considered they would. The fire demon was a stranger to her, and yet the weight of his reject rooted itself deep in her very soul. Any normal person would have left by now, not putting up with such verbal abuse. But Botan knew something deep down. She was not a normal spirit. She never had been.

Defiantly, she took a seat in front of Hiei's cell, the fire demon eyeing her with suspicion. "I'm not going anywhere," she haughtily returned, "so you're just going to have to deal with it."

A ghost of a smirk dared to shine through, the fire demon chuckling in amusement. Blue brows rose over wide eyes. "Suit yourself, _ferry girl_ ," Hiei jeered, returning to the makeshift shelf of a bed.

Botan was about to comment on Hiei's rude and crass demeanor when the door above them opened. A rapidly beating heart seized in her chest when she saw Koenma's assistant ogre, Jorge, standing at the top of the stairs. Caught red-handed, Botan quickly made it to her feet, earning the fire demon's attention. Hiei sat up, his eyes following Botan's gaze. They narrowed at the creature entering the room.

"Botan," Jorge spoke, his voice filled with concern, "you aren't supposed to be down here."

Her head fell in shame, Botan feeling terrible for breaking protocol, but at the same time she felt she had every right to be down there. Still, Koenma could never find out. "Please, don't tell Lord Koenma," Botan begged, her voice full of regret. "I know I shouldn't have come, but I…"

Jorge's expression smoothened, and his eyes trailed to the fire demon knowingly. Hiei was glaring at the ogre heatedly, and so Jorge tore his gaze away to regard the normally bubbly ferry girl to give his assurances. "I won't say anything. I'll give you another moment, but then you have to leave."

"Alright," Botan accepted, nodding to the ogre. Jorge left them, and her gaze returned to Hiei. Her amethyst pools were tainted with sadness. Even with her erased memories, it seemed that her heart was torn. Hiei could not look away from her as she sighed and said, "I'll be back some other time."

There was no response from him, but Botan seemed certain in her declaration as she took her leave. Hiei wanted to tell the woman there was no point, but he refrained. After all, she was his mate, and far be it from him to tell her what to do. He had already tried that, and she proved the strength of her character by going against his useless order. As Hiei returned to his wooden bed, he closed his eyes and smirked. Botan may not have remembered him, but speaking to her felt as if nothing had changed.

She was still his woman.

* * *

Time had passed since Hiei's arrest, and Botan had been back only once under the cover of night. Their exchange had been much like their previous interaction, Hiei strangely enjoying ruffling her feathers a bit. She was every bit amusing as she once was, and she didn't even know the half of it. Where she seemed like a different person under those spirit world layers, she was still a demon at her center. Of course, after that one time, Botan had not been back. Hiei shrugged it off. She probably had other duties to attend to or, worse, was helping that ridiculous spirit detective in one of his latest cases.

What Hiei was unaware, Botan's visits no longer occurred due to a deal she had made with the Spirit World leader. Botan had felt a pull towards the fire demon, one she couldn't explain, and despite the fury he made her feel with his insults, she believed he should go free. Koenma had been stunned when Botan had presented her case, confessing to visiting his cell. She told her boss that he never once seemed evil, and maybe he deserved a shot at redemption. The prince had just blinked at the ferry girl, and Botan was pretty sure he'd have her committed. Honestly, she believed what she was suggesting was a little crazy, also.

Koenma presented her with a choice, to continue her visits or to resume her duties without seeing Hiei. If she agreed to the latter, kept away from the prison, he would exchange her compliance for an earlier trial. Botan had agreed, still uncertain as to why Koenma was ordering her away. It didn't matter, so long as she had done her part to help Hiei. She had no idea why she was even compelled to do so. Either way, she believed he deserved a chance to redeem himself.

Hiei had gone through the trial with Kurama, the other thief being let off with good behavior for attempting to ease the suffering of one of those lowly humans. The fire demon knew he would not be so lucky. He had killed without remorse, and he would do it all again. The Spirit World prince and Kurama both had to know that, yet Kurama had stood up for Hiei as a character witness. Even more outlandish was that the Spirit World ruler had offered Hiei a way out. It was less than ideal, being confined to a human city on probation to be ready to assist the spirit detective on upcoming cases. Hiei was about to tell the prince to shove it, but, to Hiei's surprise, Kurama agreed to take responsibility for him if his punishment was to remained chained to Human World.

Hiei looked to the fox demon in shock. After everything that had happened with the artifacts, even though Hiei planned to create an army of demons from the humans Kurama had chosen to live among, the fox still was placing his trust in him. Hiei could find a way to run once he was freed, to return to Demon World and never be seen again, and Kurama would be the one to receive punishment instead.

It was a bit sobering to have the trust of the legendary bandit placed with him.

At that point, Hiei found himself agreeing, along with Kurama, to assist Yusuke with his next case, infiltrating the city of ghouls and apparitions. Hiei scoffed at the idiocy of the prince. If the spirit detective had nearly perished by his and Gouki's hands, there was no way he'd survive the Saint Beasts.

A thought then occurred to Hiei. His mate was still the assistant of the Spirit Detective, but she was a ferry girl without her demon abilities to protect her. Surely Koenma wouldn't be foolish enough to send her there with them. As if reading his thoughts, Koenma stated, "I had to send Yusuke in alone, though one of his friends jumped in with them. My chief ferry girl, Botan, informed me of that development. As I'm sure you know, that world is not kind to humans that enter. I need you two to watch after them and assist where you see fit."

 _Hn, babysitting,_ Hiei scoffed. If that was all their upcoming jobs would entail, it was going to be a _long_ probation period. Still, even if he didn't like the idea of being confined to Human World, he would at least have the opportunity to search for his sister, and maybe, just maybe, by associating with Botan, he would be able to reignite her memory. Besides, this first mission couldn't take too long.

Of course, Hiei was proven incorrect. At first, everything was pitifully simple, rescuing the humans from the low level demons who wanted to feed on them. Then, they reached the castle. Maze Castle was as its name suggested and was full of trials that seemed more and more ridiculous the closer they were to the first Saint Beast. The first obstacle was a gate, the Gate of Betrayal, and it had to be created by one of the most sadistic imbeciles in all three realms. Hiei made a mental promise to skin the demon alive who had come up with this barbaric disgrace.

They wanted to force the members of the group to turn on one another.

Once again, Hiei was astonished by yet another member putting his trust in him. When the spirit detective had suggested that he pour out all of his energy to compensate for Hiei's weight while Hiei pulled the level, freeing all of them, the fire demon had thought he was crazy. He certainly wasn't the only one as the human oaf, Kuwabara, pointed out that Hiei didn't care about them. He was right to think that. Hiei _didn't_ care, and honestly their earlier exchanges should have proven as much to the detective. He had promised revenge on Yusuke for the humiliating defeat, but the spirit detective had been unperturbed, actually talking to him like an ally.

As Hiei pointed out the erroneous logic Yusuke held, the detective said the words that had done Hiei in.

"I trust you."

The fire demon could hardly process this. He had lived in a kill or be killed world where trusting another would get you killed. He had trusted only two people in the past, his master and his mate, and Cameron had been playing him and Botan like violins. Cameron would have killed him and the water demon had he not distracted him, and Botan ended up dead later. Trusting others was something Hiei vowed never to do, but now others were putting their trust in him, a thief, a killer, a forbidden child of his own race.

What kind of hellish travesty was this?

* * *

Botan was relieved after she had defeated another group of infected humans. She was starting to feel incredibly tired in this human body running around the city. The number of infected was growing at an astronomical rate, and it was up to Yusuke and Kuwabara to stop the spread. Her eyes fell to the ground as she thought about the teenagers. As much as she knew _why_ Koenma was sending Yusuke in, she couldn't help but feel like the two were completely unprepared for what they were about to face.

She should have gone with them.

Unfortunately, she was needed there, in the Human World. Koenma needed eyes and ears to inform him about whatever changes. Besides, Yusuke had just undergone Genkai's training. He had gotten a lot stronger in such a short time. He would be okay. He just had to be.

Her compact rang, and Botan was quick to answer it. "Botan, here."

The image of her boss appeared on the scream, the rule speaking to her seriously instead of panicking like he normally did. "How are things progressing on your side?" Koenma asked her.

Botan frowned and directed the compact to the several humans she had just knocked out. The horror-stricken face of her boss was telling. "I'm sorry, Koenma, sir, but these infected humans are everywhere. I'm killing as many insects as I can, but nothing seems to be stopping these hordes."

Koenma sighed and gripped his head. "Oh, I was afraid of that. It's not going to get any better until Yusuke handles the Saint Beasts."

When Botan heard this, she finally voiced her concern. "Sir, do you think Yusuke is ready for this? I mean, I know Kuwabara is with him, but that only makes me feel slightly better. What if they get hurt? Is there no one else you can send?"

"Rest assured, Botan," Koenma replied calmly, "but I _did_ send someone else."

The ferry girl's amethyst eyes widened. "You did? Who? I thought the members of the SDF were busy with other matters."

"They are," Koenma informed her. "I sent Kurama and Hiei along to help them, part of the community service they were awarded."

Relief flooded Botan, though she was certain she shouldn't be feeling so much of it. Everything was still up in the air, even with two demons being sent to assist Yusuke. After all, they were both thieves, and despite Kurama's noble motives, there was still a chance that both he and Hiei would turn on the detective, especially being back in a segment of Demon World. Still, Botan felt so much faith, and she wasn't certain where those emotions were coming from. She was normally very practical, and the situation was still volatile at best.

In any case, her mind was set at ease. "That's a relief to hear," she admitted to her boss who just gaped at her, perplexed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Koenma shot back quickly, before he realized what he said, "aside from the obvious. Be careful, Botan, and stay safe. Hopefully, with Kurama and Hiei assisting them, they'll be able to take out all of the Saint Beasts."

"Hopefully," Botan noted before cutting the communication. A sigh of relief escaped her before she realized that she had no idea how far Yusuke had gotten. Koenma didn't seem to give any details, so maybe he was in the dark as well. _I better call to check in with them._

* * *

Although Hiei felt the trust of the spirit detective was misplaced, he followed through with the plan and didn't squander it. He had allowed the group to think he was going back on the agreement, pretending to find amusement in their torture, but in actuality Hiei was looking for information from the annoying flying eye that had been heckling them. He was happy to do away with it.

As they walked through the outer castle walls, Yusuke's communication mirror went off, freaking out his human friend. Hiei had to refrain from rolling his eyes, but his own widened when he heard a familiar voice ring out. "Hello, Yusuke, it's Botan here in the living world. You copy?"

The detective smiled and was about to give the woman an update before the oaf tried to get ahold of the mirror. "Hey, what's up, Botan? This is the brave Kuwabara reporting, at your service. I'm taking very good care of Urameshi."

Crimson eyes narrowed at the human, irritated with the way he was openly and blatantly flirting with his mate. A hum escaped the fox, and Hiei looked back at him questioningly. Kurama wore that all-knowing gaze of his, but Hiei was certain it was a guise. There was no way he knew the truth, not yet. Hiei had never indicated anything to him.

"I'm so glad to hear it," Botan replied, her voice a bit jovial. Hiei couldn't help but glance over the detective's shoulder, seeing the smiling face of his woman. "I've got things under control here as well, more or less. The Makai insects only like to nest in depressed people's minds, which narrowed down my search a bit. I've also found another spy for the Saint Beasts. I just can't figure out how they're getting passed the barrier." Hiei's eyes caught something in the background, and he glared at the screen, his energy rising slightly. "See, I think they're demons from outside the city, taking orders along the wall."

Yusuke and Kuwabara noticed what Hiei had, a demon trying to grab the woman from behind. "Watch out!" they cried, but Botan was unperturbed as she simply hit the demon over her shoulder with a metal bat, as if she had sensed it approaching her all along. "Don't worry. Those guys are weaklings. The real challenge is finding those Makai insects. I've only caught fifteen of the buggers and I've been searching for an entire day."

"Fifteen? Well, that's not much help," Yusuke criticized.

Botan didn't seem bothered as she explained, "Fighting people under the control of the Makai insects takes time." The demon behind her seemed to be trying to make an escape, but Botan managed to strike him down again. Hiei had to admit it was an amusing sight to witness, and he couldn't stop the smirk that found its way to his lips. "That's why you need to get that whistle."

"Okay, we're trying," Yusuke told her, "but this castle is kind of rough."

"Well, of course it is. No one's survived it before," Botan stated before she hung up the device.

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to one another. "You…you don't think she meant that, do you?" Kuwabara asked.

"Hey, even so, we'll have to be the first," Yusuke remarked, looking to the two demons. "You guys coming?"

"Naturally."

"Hn."

"Then it's settled," Yusuke declared. "Time to storm the castle."

* * *

Eventually, they came to the first of the Saint Beasts. Kurama had been the one to step up to fight. The fox had been too careless to allow himself to get injured by Genbu. Hiei knew then that they were in trouble. If Kurama was injured, it was going to be much more difficult to take on the other Saint Beasts. The rock warrior hadn't even been that strong, easily cut by Kurama's whip. There was no doubt that their next opponents would be stronger.

It was soon after that Botan had called again, more frantic than she had been before. Apparently, another wave of insects had been unleashed by the Saint Beasts, and now the insects were attacking children. Hiei and Kurama exchanged knowing glances. Now, the insects were going for the ones who had impressionable minds, not just the ones who felt hopeless. This wasn't good, and it was only going to get worse if they didn't make it to the other beasts.

While Botan was on the line, she was attacked by another human infected by the Makai, and she ended up being chased. Hiei felt his whole being tense up as the scene unfolded over the communicator. He could only hear Botan yelling over the device, but she managed to pull one over on the human and get away. Hiei felt his skin brisling with rage at what the woman was enduring. They needed to progress further. Time was not a resource that could be squandered any longer.

Kuwabara was foolish to take on the next one, Byakko the White Tiger. Hiei had been prepared to face him, but the human was stubborn. His terror was expected. He had seen nothing of their world, and yet he was trying to prove a point. The fire demon hadn't thought much of the human, but he had to admit that he had guts to face a demon much stronger than himself. Somehow, he overcame the odds, using quite a bit of his energy up in the process. He would be useless in another fight, but at least he was able to navigate them to the next beast.

The Blue Dragon, Seiryū, was to be Hiei's opponent.

From the moment they had entered Seiryū's icy lair, something about the ice demon had had Hiei frazzled. He tried to shake it off, associating the feeling with his own history, but he knew that projecting his misplaced anger would impede him in this fight. He had to focus on the task at hand. Yusuke needed to face the leader to break the damnable whistle.

"You have done very well to come this far," the Blue Dragon spoke, "but I shall no longer allow you to disgrace my master."

"Where's that voice coming from?" the oaf questioned.

"I don't know," the detective complained. "Come on out, dragon. This hide-and-seek thing is getting pretty lame."

Seiryū did as was asked, making a big show of fog. He revealed himself, and introduced himself. Hiei studied the demon, his countenance reminding Hiei so much of his former master. The fire demon tried to swallow that pill down. It was never good to bring emotion into a fight. He learned that very well the last time he battled Cameron. He could not afford to lose his cool now when his mate was still in danger in the living world.

"It appears we have another guest."

The beast's comment earned confusion from the four fighters. It was a surprise when a weakened, dying Byakko showed up looking for help from his supposed teammate. The response from Seiryū struck Hiei in a way he hadn't expected. "Weakling, how dare you dishonor us further?"

"Please, Seiryū," Byakko pleaded only to be met with the coldest words.

"You are no longer wanted here. You are a disgrace."

In an instant, Seiryū killed one of his own, and Hiei was furious.

It wasn't enough that this Blue Dragon had to remind him of Cameron. Seiryū then had to remind Hiei of another facet of his past. The fire within him welled, burning in his core. He didn't understand. What was it about creatures of ice that gave them the right to kill those they did not want in world, those that no longer held a place. Hiei looked into the wide, horror-stricken eyes of the beheaded White Tiger, a deep sadness welling in his chest. He knew from experience what it felt like to be murdered by his own people. The fire demon just happened to survive the attempt.

"You heartless bastard! How can you kill off your own friend?"

"He was a weapon, not a friend, and like a cheap sword he rusted," the heartless murderer declared, angering the group further. It was clear to Hiei that neither human had ever been exposed to such cruelty, not as he or, most likely, Kurama had been. Perhaps that was why the detective had misplaced his trust in him so freely. Either way, Hiei had his own agenda in this mission, and it just so happened to align with Spirit World's mission. They were very lucky they had his mate on their side or he would have burned that hated world down.

How fortunate for the lackadaisical ruler that his fire burned to eliminate one of his detective's enemies, too.

As he heard the banter going back and forth between the cold-hearted demon, the angry detective, and the irate oaf, Hiei finally stepped in, playing his rage down to a minimum. "Save your anger," he ordered coolly, looking to Yusuke. "You can take their leader. I insist this fight be mine."

Though Yusuke was surprised by Hiei offering to take the battle, he made no move to stop the fire demon. Slowly and with purpose, Hiei stepped up to face Seiryū. The two stared each other down, Hiei's eyes flickering to Byakko, the tiger dying with tears of desperation frozen in his eyes. Hiei pulled off his cloak and tossed it over the severed head of the dead demon, a sign of respect symbolic of a burial.

Seiryū found his action amusing. "Tell me you're not feeling sympathy for this amateur." Hiei said nothing. "From your actions at the Gate of Betrayal, I was hoping you had more of a warrior's spirit."

Hiei gritted his teeth, memories of Cameron flooding his mind. Seiryū was really lucky the fire demon had learned to take control of his emotions or he'd be incinerated now, once and for all. It was best to let him talk, lure him into a false sense of security, and then go for the kill. The ice demon wouldn't see it coming, and Hiei would not lose sleep over his demise.

"He's a puzzle, isn't he?" Kurama spoke to Yusuke. "In times before, I've seen Hiei act with similar cruelty, but something about Byakko's execution has caused great anger in him." As if proving his point, Hiei's energy surrounded his body, ready to consume his opponent. "Hiei seems to live by his own code of very complex rules, but one thing is for certain. Never before have I seen Hiei begin a fight with such an extraordinary amount of his spirit energy."

Yusuke looked back to the fighter.

"Good, as long as he kicks some ass."

* * *

Botan was starting to have trouble. Insects were infecting people at such an alarming rate. She was doing the best she can. Even Koenma was sympathetic, but he still needed her to fight. The human race still needed her to fight.

In all honestly, she was starting to feel terrified. With so many people infected, they were starting to form groups and attack in parties. They were beginning to strategize, and she was unable to keep up. Instead of keeping them under control, Botan was running away. If she didn't keep moving, she knew she'd be finished. These infected humans were vicious and were completely unaware of their actions.

She called Koenma while running from the enemy. "Listen to me Koenma, I have to abort this mission," she told him. "The humans taken over by the Makai insects are starting to work together, and their numbers are continuing to grow."

" _Understood,"_ Koenma agreed, looking completely perturbed on her compact. _"Get yourself to higher ground, Botan. I can't afford to lose you now."_

"My thoughts exactly," Botan agreed before she tripped over the ground.

Koenma could see that she stopped, and grew alarmed. _"Botan, I said run!"_

"I'm not sure how feasible that is…"

Koenma cried out the ferry girl's name, and Botan knew she was at her end. Still, she refused to go down without a fight, swinging her bat aimlessly in attempts to keep the infected humans at bay.

* * *

Seiryū's defeat came quickly for the beast. Before the fight, he had attempted to draw Hiei to their side. Not being privy to Hiei's ire, the demon actually thought he had a case. Hiei insulted his opponent, telling the fighter he was speaking his last words. Angered, Seiryū attacked, and Hiei used his speed to escape his ice attacks. Of course, Hiei let him think he had an edge, once he did get hit in the leg. The Blue Dragon froze part of Hiei's body. The fire demon could have easily warmed himself, but he chose to let the bastard think he had him right where he wanted him.

Hiei was the one with the advantage. As Seiryū went to give a finishing blow, Hiei used his sword and the remainder of his body to propel himself towards his opponent. He was attacked in the process, but his victory was assured. He finically revealed that Seiryū's ice would not have any affect on him. He melted the ice encasing his now-covered arm and leg. The Blue Dragon promised to give one final blow, but, of course, Hiei had already won, slicing into him sixteen times, to be exact.

All had been impressed by him, asking him questions about his technique and what he had done. Yusuke had even joked that he'd be screwed if Hiei ever decided to use those moves on him. The fire demon took in the expressions of the team he had reluctantly be assigned to join. Surprisingly, he could see why his mate liked the idiotic detective. He was the rebellious time, but he had a genuine guise just like his woman. "Maybe," he replied cryptically, walking away from him. Honestly, Hiei didn't know if he'd even want to kill the lucky bastard.

* * *

Botan couldn't believe her luck. The infected humans had stopped their pursuit of her out of nowhere, but she knew that all was not right with the situation. All of the humans were headed towards Yusuke's middle school, but she had no idea what they planned to do there. After all, Yusuke was in another realm completely.

She knew she should have listened to Koenma's order, but Botan could not let this go. She raced off to Yusuke's school without a second thought to her own safety.

* * *

Yusuke and the others were on their way their way to the Saint Beast leader when Kuwabara got an awful feeling, alerting the others. "My whole brain just felt like an ice cube," the redhead stated. "Something bad's happening, I think back on Earth."

"No telling how long we've been here," Kurama pointed out. "The beasts have most likely organized a counterassault using the Makai."

"Only one more," Hiei redirected. "Let's not waste time." Everyone agreed and continued up the long and winding staircase.

It was when Botan called Yusuke again that the situation grew more dire.

"Yusuke, this is Botan. Copy?"

Yusuke answered, and he was horrified when he saw Botan with Keiko. "Small problem," the ferry girl announced.

"Ah, Keiko?" Yusuke replied, baffled.

"I had to pick her up from school, Yusuke," Botan explained, and Hiei listened in, brows furrowing. "Every infected person in the area is looking for her."

That caused Yusuke to stop in his tracks, the others following suit. "What?"

Botan managed to keep her expression even despite giving such awful new to the detective. Honestly, she had wished that this all wasn't happening, but she had to tell Yusuke her thoughts. "And I don't think they want to talk. I'm almost certain they mean to kill her."

"Did you say 'kill?'" Yusuke asked in alarm. Hiei's energy spiked, but only Kurama seemed to notice. It seemed the thought of the girls being in danger bothered him as much as fighting the ice demon had.

"The beasts must be using the Makai whistle to order the-"

Botan didn't get the chance to finish her statement as Keiko's infected teacher found them in the bushes and made an attempt to capture them. The ferry girl managed to shove Keiko out of harms way, but they were far from safe. They were surrounded, and the compact had smashed, their connection with Yusuke severed.

"Botan, are you there?" Yusuke screamed at the device. "Botan!"

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Kuwabara interjected.

Panic was starting to fill the two humans, and Hiei was silently feeling it alongside them. By protecting the girl, he mate was being put in harm's way. She was always too damn selfless. That's what led her to die last time… Hiei shook himself free of those thoughts.

"We've got to smash that whistle as fast as we can," Yusuke dictated, the four running off for the leader.

They had no time to waste.

* * *

Botan did her best to get Keiko away from the others. There was no way she could allow anything to happen to her. Koenma was, of course, concerned, not only for the life of Keiko but in keeping Yusuke complacent as their detective. If anything happened to the girl, Yusuke would most likely never forgive Spirit World for her demise. Botan's motives, though, were a bit more selfless. After being so close to Yusuke for so long, working towards reaching out to Keiko and watching their young relationship blossom, she was becoming emotionally invested and attached in both the detective and his girlfriend. Under different circumstances, Botan would be thrilled to interact with Keiko. This, though, was not how she wanted this all to go down.

She needed to keep Keiko safe.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama had reached the top of the tower. They just had stairs to climb, and they would finally reach the leader, Suzaku. What the group hadn't anticipated was the fact that Suzaku wanted to stall them. He was hoping for Keiko to be captured and killed with the detective watching. So, to keep them busy, he sent out an army of cultivated humans, a group of mindless zombies, stripped of their free will. They were weak, easy to crush, but there were too many and they kept coming.

Hiei had fought creatures like these before, and he told the group they did not feel pain nor fear.

Yusuke was about to unleash all his energy to strike them, but Kurama warned him against it. After all, Yusuke needed all of his strength to fight against the Saint Beast leader. They had to play it all carefully, smart. It was a good thing he had Kurama there to keep him level-headed. It was even better that Hiei was there to offer a solution.

"Set your eyes on the first tower window. That is your door. I'll need you to listen closely."

The cultivated humans just stood there as they came up with their strategy. The four fighters were going to use each other to get up to the window. They all ran forward, running up each other's backs and shoulders. Their positions combined with the driving force pushing them forward combined to get Yusuke up to the tower, and he was free to race to face Suzaku.

Hiei looked up to the window, watching the detective press on. He had to put the same trust Yusuke put in him at the beginning of this mission in Yusuke himself. Yusuke would fight with everything he had to protect Keiko and Botan. They would be all right.

The fire demon had to believe that as he readied his blade to start cutting the cultivated humans surrounding the three of them down.

* * *

In the living world, Botan successfully kept Keiko safe after many close calls. The girls had worked together and fought with everything they had. Eventually, Botan was knocked out, and she and Keiko were in danger. Likewise, Yusuke had fought his hardest against Suzaku, being electrocuted by the demon and brought to the brink of death so many times.

Well, the demon had underestimated Yusuke. The detective had finally allowed his emotions to surface, his energy skyrocketing. He used every ounce of his life energy to protect Keiko and everyone else who cared about him and even helped him on this very case. Suzaku was completely astonished by his intense increase in power, an increase that crossed dimensions and even protected Keiko and Botan from the infected humans. The Saint Beast admitted that he was wrong about Yusuke, that he didn't lose because Yusuke wasn't human, he lost because Yusuke was a human. Suzaku died, finding more strength in the human race than he could comprehend, and that feelings were its power instead of a weakness.

Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara reached Yusuke, and Kuwabara was so upset that Yusuke had practically killed himself in order to win. He used his own life energy to charge Yusuke up, but it caused him to knock himself out, irritating Hiei. The fire demon knew they'd have to get those fools out of there. He shook his head in derision.

"I suppose we'll have to return to living world carrying both of them on our backs," Kurama mused.

Stoically, Hiei replied, "Like I said, babysitting." He then looked to the redhead saying, "Here's what I don't understand. Why would he bother saving her if he died in the process."

"Trust me, Hiei, there are reasons," Kurama explained, looking at the two humans, his expression grave as he thought about his human mother.

"Hn, maybe for a person who's lived there," Hiei commented, "but I'd never do it. The challenge is enough without taking someone else's slack."

But both Hiei and Kurama knew the fire demon was lying. After all, if it hadn't been Yusuke giving his all to save Keiko, Hiei would have given everything to save Botan. He didn't care that his energy wasn't where it used to be. He would have stormed the tower and taken out Suzaku if Yusuke had failed, even if he died in the process. The demon could have cared less about Yusuke's friend, but Botan had been in just as dire a circumstance. As long as his mate survived, everything was right with the world.

He didn't have to linger on the what-if's now.


End file.
